Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-09
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 combination of a pie chart and a table chart illustrates information about categories of library users and library user satisfaction in a university.
At the fleeting glance, the highest element of the chart is full-time undergraduates, 44% of users like to spend time in the library. Followed by, 25% of full-time postgraduate users like to spend time in the library. However, only 7% of academic staff spend time in library. Moreover, 16% of part-time postgraduates spend time in the library and in distance learning which included all courses, the proportion is 8%.
Moving ahead, 95% of visitors are very satisfied with helpfulness of staff. Furthermore, 40% of the users are fairly satisfied with the availability of books in the library. But, no one is satisfied with library opening hours and helpfulness of staff. Only 48% of users are satisfied with reliability of wi-fi available in the library.
Overall, most of the time full-time undergraduates like to spend time in the library, while a very small proportion of academic staff visit the library, also, majority of users are satisfied with helpfulness of staff, but, no one is satisfied with library opening hours and helpfulness of staff.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of both the pie chart and the table. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state that 'no one is satisfied with library opening hours and helpfulness of staff', which contradicts the table data showing 72% and 95% satisfaction respectively. This misinterpretation of the data significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main categories and trends, the failure to accurately report the provided information prevents a higher band score. Ensure you double-check the labels and figures before writing.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the chart and table, and a summary. Cohesive devices such as 'At the fleeting glance', 'Moving ahead', and 'Overall' are used to structure the text. However, some transitions are slightly unnatural or mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be improved to create a more cohesive narrative. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task, helping the reader follow the progression of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks precision and sophistication. Phrases like 'At the fleeting glance' are non-standard and slightly awkward. There is some repetition of phrases such as 'spend time in the library'. While you successfully use terms like 'proportion' and 'categories', the overall lexical control is limited. To improve, focus on using more varied reporting verbs and collocations related to data analysis, such as 'account for', 'constitute', or 'a significant majority'.
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 'in distance learning which included all courses, the proportion is 8%' and 'helpfulness of staff' being repeated incorrectly. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with comma usage and sentence fragments. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex structures. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and clearer sentence construction will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.