Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-14
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 illustrates the proportion of various catergories of library user, while the table provides the data on the user satisfaction of the library.
Overall, in the given pie chart full time undergraduates were the dominant with making upto 44% of the total proportion while academic staff were the minor contributing only 7% of the total. Whereas, in the given table helpfulness of staff was highly satisfied by the acoounting of 95% of the total, however opening the library and helping staff was the least in not satisfied with 0% of the total.
In the pie chart, full time undergraduate were the highest library users representing 44% of the total. Followed by full time postgraduate accounted at 25% while part time postgraduate with 16% of the total users. Distance learning which includes overall courses had only 8% making it the second least and academic staff had the least number of library users with only 7% of the total proportion.
In the table, most user were satisfied with the helpfulness of the staff with 95% of the total while availabilty of journals were at 45% of satisfaction. In fairly satisfied, the highest was availability of books with 40% of the total, however helpfulness was the least with only 5%. In not satisfied, availability of journal was the highest whereas opening library and helping staff was the least with 0% of the toatl.
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 student provides a clear overview and covers both the pie chart and the table, successfully selecting the main features and making relevant comparisons. For example, the student correctly identifies that full-time undergraduates are the dominant group at 44% and that academic staff are the smallest category at 7%. Data from the table is also integrated, noting high satisfaction rates for staff helpfulness at 95%. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in reporting details, such as misinterpreting the table categories regarding 'opening the library' and 'not satisfied' percentages. Overall, the response fulfills the requirements of the task adequately, providing a clear summary of the provided visual data, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introductory overview, followed by separate body paragraphs for the pie chart and the table. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'while', 'whereas', and 'In the table'. However, some of the transitions and referencing are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Followed by full time postgraduate accounted at 25%' which disrupts the flow of information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different parts of the visual data, and there is a discernible overall progression from the introduction to specific details, supporting a Band 6 score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with domain-specific terms such as 'proportion', 'survey', 'satisfaction', and 'postgraduate'. There are some spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'catergories', 'acoounting', and 'availabilty', as well as awkward phrasing like 'the minor contributing only 7%' instead of 'accounting for only 7%'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'dominant' and 'proportion', but inaccuracies in collocation and word form prevent a higher score. Nonetheless, these lexical errors do not impede overall communication, placing the performance firmly in the Band 6 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The pie chart illustrates the proportion of various categories of library user, while the table provides the data on the user satisfaction of the library.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips throughout the text, including missing prepositions, awkward participle clauses ('with making upto 44%'), and fragment sentences ('Followed by full time postgraduate accounted at 25%'). While these errors are noticeable and occur with some frequency, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the intended meaning. This balance of structures and errors corresponds to a Band 6 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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