Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-31
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 chart and table below illustrate the feedback from a survey of library users at a university.
The highest ratio of users was full-time undergraduate students. The user satisfaction chart varied with the factors.
There are five types of library users. The highest percentage is of full-time undergraduate students, which is almost 44 percent. Then at second position, there are full-time postgraduates with 25 percent. Then part-time postgraduate which are almost 16 percent. The number of distance learning students and the academic staff are almost the same.
The library user satisfaction charts are based on five factors, with the number of students who are very satisfied, fairly satisfied, and not satisfied. The highest number of students is 95, who are very satisfied with the helpfulness of staff, and 5 students are fairly satisfied, the other factors are almost similar those are availabilty of books and journals, and the reliability of wifi. The library opening hours students are very satisfied but also some of them are fairly satisfied. But the number of students not satisfied is less then satisfied and fairly sa
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the data, such as the user categories and satisfaction levels. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identified the highest and lowest categories, you missed opportunities to make meaningful comparisons between the groups (e.g., comparing the combined postgraduate groups to undergraduates). Furthermore, the description of the satisfaction chart is incomplete and lacks precision, particularly regarding the specific figures for each category. The response ends abruptly, which prevents a full overview of the data. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of all key trends and avoid listing figures without contextualizing them through comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow between sentences is often mechanical. You rely heavily on repetitive sentence starters like 'The highest...' and 'Then...'. There is a lack of sophisticated cohesive devices to link ideas smoothly. For instance, the transition between the user categories and the satisfaction factors is abrupt. Additionally, the final sentence is incomplete, which disrupts the logical progression of the text. Using a wider variety of linking words such as 'conversely', 'in contrast', or 'similarly' would improve the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use repetitive phrasing, such as 'almost' and 'satisfied', which limits the range of your expression. There is little attempt to use more precise or academic vocabulary to describe trends or data points. For example, instead of saying 'the other factors are almost similar', you could use 'the remaining categories show comparable figures'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and precise collocations related to data reporting, such as 'a significant proportion', 'a marginal difference', or 'fluctuated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that affect clarity, such as 'The user satisfaction chart varied with the factors' (which is vague) and 'the other factors are almost similar those are availabilty of books'. There are also issues with punctuation and incomplete sentences, particularly at the end of the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear, complete structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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