Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-29
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 illustrate the different categories of library users, while the table shows their levels of satisfaction with various library services.
Overall. full time undergraduates made up the largest proportion of library users, whereas academic staff accounted for the smallest percentage. In terms of satisfaction, helpfulness of staff received the highest ratings, while the availability of journals had the lowest level of satisfaction.
Full-time undergraduate students represent 44% of library users, followed by full-time postgraduate at 25%. Part-time postgraduate accounted for 16%. while distance-learning students made up 8%. Academic staff constituted the remaining 7%.
Regarding satisfaction, 95% of users were very satisfied with the helpfulness of staff, and only 5% were fairly satisfied. library opening hours also received positive feedback, with 65% being very satisfied, compared with 40% fairly satisfied and 10% not satisfied. Finally, journals and Wi-Wi
had lower satisfaction levels, with 20% and 19% of users respectively being dissatisfied.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting key data points from both the chart and the table. The main features are identified, such as the dominance of full-time undergraduates and the high satisfaction with staff helpfulness. However, the analysis of the table is slightly problematic; for instance, the percentages provided for 'library opening hours' (65% very satisfied, 40% fairly satisfied, 10% not satisfied) sum to 115%, which suggests a misinterpretation of the data provided in the source. While the report is accurate in its selection of trends, this mathematical inconsistency impacts the overall clarity and accuracy of the reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the chart and table respectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct data sets. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'in terms of', and 'regarding' are used to link ideas. However, there are some minor mechanical issues, such as the sentence fragment 'Overall. full time...' and the inconsistent use of capitalization (e.g., 'library opening hours' starting with a lowercase letter). These minor errors in punctuation and referencing slightly affect the flow but do not impede overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'constituted', and 'dissatisfied'. There are some spelling errors, such as 'Wi-Wi' instead of 'Wi-Fi', and minor word choice issues. The vocabulary is generally functional and allows the writer to convey the necessary information clearly. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more precise collocations and ensure that technical terms are spelled correctly. The attempt to use varied reporting verbs is good, but the overall range remains somewhat limited to basic descriptive language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The pie chart illustrate') and punctuation errors (the period after 'Overall'). Additionally, there is a lack of consistent capitalization at the start of sentences. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the intended meaning. The student demonstrates an ability to construct complex sentences, but the frequency of minor errors in basic grammar and punctuation limits the score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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