Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12

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 survery result of library users at a university are shown in a chart and a table. The pie chart illustrates types of users that are using library, while table shows satisfaction level of users.

There are different types of people using library for example, full-time undergraduate, academic staff, part-time postgraduates, full-time postgraduates and distance learners. It can be seen in table that most users are generally satisfied with library staff, hour and availability of books. However some shown disatisfaction with journal availability and wifi.

In the pie chart, 44% of users are full-time undergraduates, which is the largest propotion. Runner up are full-time postgraduates with 25%, while part-time postgraduates are 16%. Distance learners and academic staff consists of 8% and 7% userbase.

95% of library users are satisfied with helpfullness of staff. Meanwhile, 65% are happy with library opening hours, 35% are fairly satisfied. Most users are content with availablity of book with 50% opting satisfied, 40% fairly satisfied and only 10 not satisfied. However, majority of users were relatievely unsatisfied with availability of journals and reliability of wifi.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of both the pie chart and the table, effectively reporting the categories of library users and their satisfaction levels. The student successfully identifies full-time undergraduates as the largest proportion at 44% and correctly highlights key trends from the table, such as high satisfaction with staff and concerns regarding journal availability and wifi. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and omissions in the data reporting. For instance, the student states that 35% are fairly satisfied with opening hours (though this figure actually belongs to another category or breakdown) and misses exact numerical figures for some data points, relying instead on vague descriptions like 'majority'. Overall, all parts of the task are addressed with relevant data selected, placing this performance at a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement and follows a logical progression, starting with an introductory overview, moving on to general body descriptions, detailing the pie chart proportions, and finally outlining the satisfaction table data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different visual prompts and themes. Cohesive devices are functional, such as 'In the pie chart' and 'However', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional minor slip-ups in cohesion occur, such as the missing article in 'It can be seen in table'. Overall, the logical sequencing and clear separation of ideas meet the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, successfully employing terms such as 'proportion', 'userbase', 'satisfaction level', and 'availability'. There are, however, several spelling and word-choice errors that detract from precision, including 'survery' for survey, 'propotion' for proportion, 'helpfullness' for helpfulness, and 'relatievely' for relatively. Additionally, some lexical choices are slightly informal or awkward, such as 'Runner up are full-time postgraduates'. Despite these inaccuracies, communication is never impeded, and the range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, earning a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The pie chart illustrates types of users that are using library, while table shows satisfaction level of users.' There are noticeable grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('using library' instead of 'using the library', 'in table' instead of 'in the table', 'availablity of book' instead of 'availability of books'), subject-verb agreement issues ('The survery result... are shown'), and spelling-related grammatical distractions. Although these errors occur frequently, they rarely impede communication. The control over grammar is characteristic of a Band 5.5, as complex sentences are often prone to minor structural flaws and missing articles are systematic.

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

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