Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30

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 percentage of different groups of people who use library and their satisfaction. Overall, the students of bachelor program shares the highest percentage of the chart and the academic staff shares the lowest percentage of the chart. However, the most of the users are much satisfied.

The percentage of 44 of full-time undergraduate students uses the library more than the others whereas, the full-time students of master program holds the percentage of 25%. The part-time postgraduate students have the portion of 16%, double of the percentage of distance learning. However, the employee of the academic facility holds the percentage of 7%.

In contrast, the 95% of the users are satisfied by staff help.

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 ability to fully develop the response. While you have identified the main features of the chart, the analysis is quite brief and lacks depth. You have provided some data points, but the comparison between the categories is underdeveloped. To improve, you should aim to describe the trends more comprehensively and ensure that all parts of the prompt are addressed with sufficient detail. Because the response is 33 words under the limit, it is penalised for failing to provide a fully developed summary of the information provided in the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into three short paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. You use some cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'in contrast', but the flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall logical development is limited by the brevity of the text. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus that contributes to the overall summary of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite repetitive and basic. Phrases like 'shares the highest percentage' and 'holds the percentage of' are used repeatedly, which limits the range of your expression. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or precise collocations. To improve, try to vary your verbs and nouns when describing statistical data—for example, using 'account for', 'constitute', or 'represent' instead of 'holds'. Additionally, ensure accurate word choice, as 'much satisfied' is not a natural collocation in this context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. For instance, 'The pie chart illustrate' (subject-verb agreement), 'the most of the users are much satisfied' (incorrect article and collocation), and 'the 95% of the users' (unnecessary article). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Incorporating a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, would also help demonstrate better control over your grammar.

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

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