Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17
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 5.0)
The charts and table show the results of a survey of library users at a university. The table show the library user satisfaction and the chart show the categories of library users.
There are five categories of library users. The first categories is academic staff and it percentage is 7 percent and the second categories is distance learning and it percentage is 8 percent.
The third categories is part time postgraduate and it percentage is 16 percent. The fourth categories is full time postgraduate and it percentage is 25 percent and the last categories is full time undergraduate and it percentage is 44 percent.
The table show the percentage of library user satisfaction the library opening hours very satisfied 65 and fairly satisfied 35 and not satisfied 0. In Helpfulness of staff very satisfied 95 and fairly satisfied 5 and not satisfied 0. In availability of books very satisfied 50 and fairly satisfied 40 and not satisfied 10. In availability of journals very satisfied 45 and fairly satisfied 35 and not satisfied 20. In reliability of wi fi very satisfied 48 and fairly satisfied 33 and not satisfied 19.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover both the chart and the table by listing the categories of library users and the satisfaction percentages. However, the response lacks a clear overview and fails to make meaningful comparisons between the data points. Instead of selecting and reporting the main features, the writer provides a mechanical, raw listing of almost every individual figure, such as 'library opening hours very satisfied 65 and fairly satisfied 35'. There is no synthesis of the data, which prevents the response from reaching higher bands. According to the descriptors for Band 5.0, the task is addressed only partially, and the reporting of data is limited and under-developed, relying heavily on listing figures rather than analysing trends or key highlights.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is organized into basic paragraphs separating the chart data from the table data. However, the overall progression is weak due to the repetitive sentence structures used to present the data (e.g., 'and it percentage is...'). Cohesive devices are minimal and often misused or mechanical. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal logical progression within paragraphs is hindered by the relentless listing of statistics without transitional phrases or logical links. Pronoun referencing is also problematic, as seen in repetitive and inaccurate phrasing. This fits the Band 5 descriptor where there is some organization and paragraphing, but no clear overall progression and inadequate or repetitive use of cohesive devices.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.5
The vocabulary used is extremely basic, repetitive, and restricted to the exact terms provided in the prompt (e.g., 'academic staff', 'distance learning', 'very satisfied', 'fairly satisfied'). The student struggles with basic word formation and collocations, repeatedly writing 'it percentage' instead of 'its percentage' or 'accounting for'. Less common vocabulary is entirely absent. Spelling is generally accurate because the words are copied directly from the visual prompt, but lexical control is minimal. This aligns with Band 5.0, demonstrating a limited and repetitive range of vocabulary that is minimally adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word choice and form.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writing is dominated by simple sentence structures, often strung together with coordinating conjunctions like 'and'. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The table show') and noun form errors ('part time postgraduate' instead of 'part-time postgraduates', 'the first categories' instead of 'the first category'). Complex sentence forms are virtually absent, and punctuation is basic. Errors are frequent and noticeable, though they do not completely obscure the meaning. This performance is characteristic of Band 5.0, featuring a limited range of structures and frequent grammatical errors that cause some difficulty and strain for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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