Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18
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 chart and table illustrate the survey of library students and other academic staff at a university.
Overall, the chart shows the percentage of library users in various categories such as full-time graduate, part-time graduate also for academic staff. On the other hand,the table shows the library users satisfaction in percentage in different sections.
In the pie chart, the higher usage is 44% that are used by full-time undergraduate learners in the higher education department and it was a dominant contribution. After that, one third of library users were full-time post graduates which were 25%. While, 16% students contributed in library that were part-time postgraduate students. Also 8% and 7% users were distance learning and academic staff almost same as the participate in the library.
In the table, the satisfaction level about the library opening hours and helpfulness of staff are higher in very satisfied category that is 65% and 95% respectively and fairly satisfied category is much lower than very satisfied section.Avilability of books, availability of journals as well as reliability of WI-FI are higher in satifaction level than fairly satisfied students of the university. But the ratio of dissatisfied students is much lower.
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 response successfully covers all main parts of the prompt by reporting data from both the pie chart and the table. The student identifies key features, such as the highest category of library users being full-time undergraduates at 44%, and correctly highlights high satisfaction ratings for opening hours and staff helpfulness. However, there are some minor calculation or misreading inaccuracies, such as stating that 'one third of library users were full-post graduates which were 25%' (25% is one-quarter, not one-third). Additionally, the description of table satisfaction levels is somewhat muddled in the final sentence ('Avilability of books... are higher in satifaction level than fairly satisfied students'). Overall, the main trends are presented, aligning well with a Band 6.0 description.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay has a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, separating the introduction, overview, chart details, and table details. However, cohesion is occasionally faulty or mechanical. Words like 'Also' and 'After that' are used repetitively to link sentences, and referencing can be imprecise (e.g., 'that are used by' or 'same as the participate in the library'). Paragraph breaks are logical, moving from the visual overview to specific data points, earning a solid Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common phrases like 'dominant contribution' and 'satisfaction level'. However, there are noticeable word choice and spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'Avilability', 'satifaction', and awkward phrasing like 'the higher usage is 44% that are used by'. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.5 or 6.0. Given the successful communication of data concepts, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though attempts at complex structures often contain grammatical errors. Examples include 'the higher usage is 44% that are used by full-time undergraduate learners' and '8% and 7% users were distance learning and academic staff almost same as the participate in the library.' Punctuation and article usage are frequently flawed (e.g., missing commas, incorrect prepositions). These errors occur throughout but do not severely impede the reader's understanding, fitting the Band 5.5 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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