Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07
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 the table represents the information collected in a survey regarding the user and their satisfaction towards various aspects.
Overall, highest proportion of library users are the full-time undergraduates. Academic staff are marked as the least. On the other hand, staff's helpfulness is considered as the most satisfied among all the five categories.
The majority of the library users are the full-time undergraduates with 44%. One-fourth of all the visitor to the library are the full-time postgraduates. With 16% of user overall part-time postgraduate is the third highest. Finally, academic staff and students of distance learning of all the courses have similar proportion of 8%.
The satisfactory level of library opening hours and staff helpfulness is satisfying for all the user. Whereas, Availability is believe is not satisfied for 10% of the people. Reliability of wifi and availability of journals had mixed feedback with around 45% very satisfied, 35% of user fairly satisfied and the remaining 20% are not satisfied.
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 the main features of the data, including the breakdown of user categories and the satisfaction levels. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the highest and lowest user groups, the description of the satisfaction table lacks precision. For instance, you mention 'satisfying for all the user' regarding opening hours and staff helpfulness, but you do not quantify these figures from the table. Furthermore, the summary of the 'mixed feedback' for wifi and journals is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, ensure that all key data points are supported by specific figures and that comparisons are more explicitly drawn between the categories.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the chart and table respectively. There is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is occasionally mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'On the other hand' used to introduce a point that is not a direct contrast to the previous sentence. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'all the user' or 'all the courses'. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the main points clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'proportion', 'satisfactory level', and 'categories'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'Availability is believe is not satisfied' and 'staff's helpfulness is considered as the most satisfied'. These errors slightly impede the naturalness of the writing. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure that your word forms (e.g., 'satisfied' vs 'satisfaction') are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'The pie chart and the table represents' (subject-verb agreement error), 'One-fourth of all the visitor' (pluralization error), and 'Availability is believe is not satisfied' (passive voice and verb form errors). These errors occur frequently enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the information. To achieve a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tense usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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