Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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 two figures below depict the percentage of library users and their satisfaction at an institute.

overall, full-time undergraduates overtakes the users category by a big margin, accounting for the 44% of the total users, while the academic staff mounts to merely 7%. Although, the helpfullness of the staffs peaks at 95% in user satisfaction chart, however the lack of journals mounts to the most dissatisfaction at 20%.

Specifically, full time postgraduates amount to 25% of the users, followed by part time postgraduates at 16% and a small portion of total users are from distance learning category which has only 8% of the total users. We can see the contrasting difference between the users from academic staff to full time undergraduates by over 6 times.

Now, regarding the satisfaction rates, the staff's helpfulness stands out as the top notch aspect of the library with an astounding 95% satisfaction rate. Following the lead is the library opening schedules with 65%. The scarce amount of journals puts it at the last spot with only 45% satisfaction, and the reliability of wifi comes to second from the bottom (48%). The availability of books is at sweet spot receiving 50% very satisfied, 40% fairly satisfied and an astonishing not satisfied rate of 10%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of both the chart and the table, providing a clear overview and supporting details. You made relevant comparisons, such as noting the six-fold difference between academic staff and full-time undergraduates. However, there are some inaccuracies in your data interpretation; for example, you state that the lack of journals accounts for 20% dissatisfaction, whereas the table shows 45% satisfaction, implying 55% dissatisfaction or a different metric. Additionally, your description of the 'availability of books' is slightly confusing. To improve, ensure that your data reporting is precise and that you distinguish clearly between satisfaction and dissatisfaction metrics to avoid misrepresenting the provided information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the two data sets, and a concluding summary of satisfaction rates. You use some cohesive devices like 'Specifically' and 'Regarding' to transition between ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'Although, the helpfullness of the staffs peaks... however the lack of journals...'. Using 'Although' and 'however' in the same sentence is redundant and grammatically incorrect. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will help the progression of your ideas feel more natural and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'depict', 'contrasting difference', and 'astounding'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'mounts to merely 7%' (should be 'amounts to'), 'top notch aspect' (too informal for an academic report), and 'sweet spot' (inappropriate register). Additionally, there are minor errors in word formation, such as 'helpfullness' (helpfulness) and 'staffs' (staff is an uncountable noun in this context). Focusing on academic register and correct collocations will significantly enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'full-time undergraduates overtakes' (should be 'overtake') and 'the helpfullness... peaks... however the lack of journals mounts' (run-on/comma splice issues). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the misuse of commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and sentence boundary punctuation.

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

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