Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-23

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart and table below show the results of a survey of library users at a university.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Categories of library users

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The pie chart and table illustrate the outcome of a survey of library users at a university.

Overall, full time undergraduates shared the highest percentage in using library while academic staff visited least. Additionally, almost everyone was satisfied with the helpfulness of staff.

The maximum visitors of library were full time undergraduates which accomplish 44% of overall visitors which is followed by 25% of full time postgraduates. Morever, part time postgraduates made up 16% with distance learning(all courses) and academic staff 8% and 7% respectively.

The table shows that about 95% of library users were fully satisfied with the helpfulness of staff and 65% were satisfied with library opening hours.Also 50% of users were satisfied with availability of books. In addition, readers were unhappy with the availability of journals and wifi speed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the chart and table, the analysis is quite brief. You successfully highlighted the highest and lowest categories and summarized the satisfaction levels, but the lack of sufficient length means the response is under-developed. To improve, you should provide more detailed comparisons between the categories and perhaps elaborate on the trends or differences in satisfaction levels to ensure you meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive overview of the data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on the chart and table respectively. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Additionally', and 'In addition' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and the transition between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task, but the overall progression is limited by the brevity of the response. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a range of vocabulary appropriate for describing data, such as 'illustrate', 'outcome', 'percentage', and 'satisfied'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'accomplish 44%' is not the correct usage; 'account for' or 'comprise' would be more natural. Similarly, 'maximum visitors' is slightly awkward; 'the largest group of visitors' would be more precise. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. Focus on using more precise verbs and collocations when describing statistical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'shared the highest percentage in using library' should be 'accounted for the highest percentage of library users'. There are also minor issues with articles and prepositions, such as 'visited least' (should be 'the least') and 'availability of books' (should be 'the availability'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a greater focus on sentence structure accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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