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 results of the library survey of the students at a university.
Overall, the chart shows the percentage of library users in various categories such as full-time undergraduate, part-time graduate and academic staff. The table shows the user satisfaction in percentage in different sections.
In the pie chart, the highest usage is 44% that is used by full-time undergraduate learners in the higher education department and it was a dominant contribution. After that, a quarter of library users were full-time postgraduates who 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 participaten in the library.
In the table, the satisfaction level about the library opening hours and helpfulness of staff is higher in satisfied category that is 65% and 95% respectively and the fairly satisfied category is much lower than very satisfied group. Availability of books, availability of journals as well as reliability of Wi-Fi are highest in the satisfaction level than the 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 student successfully addresses both parts of the prompt by summarising the information from the chart and the table. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the main features of both datasets. Key data points are reported, such as the highest proportion of library users being full-time undergraduates at 44%, and specific satisfaction rates like 95% for staff helpfulness. However, some of the descriptions are slightly mechanical or imprecise, such as describing academic staff and distance learners as 'almost same as the participaten in the library.' Overall, all parts of the task are adequately covered, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is coherent overall, with a clear logical arrangement separating the introduction, overview, chart details, and table details into distinct paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall,' 'In the pie chart,' and 'In the table,' which help guide the reader through the text. However, referencing is sometimes awkward or repetitive, and certain transitional phrases feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct visual sources, but the internal progression within the body paragraphs could be smoother to achieve a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'proportion', 'category', 'dominant contribution', and 'satisfaction level'. Attempts are made to use less common vocabulary, though this occasionally results in awkward phrasing or collocation errors, such as 'that is used by full-time undergraduate learners... and it was a dominant contribution' or 'participaten in the library'. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice lacks the precision and natural flow characteristic of higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. There are instances of effective complex structures, such as 'While 16% students contributed in library that were part-time postgraduate students.' However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout, including missing articles ('in library'), incorrect preposition usage ('satisfaction level about... is higher in satisfied category'), and redundant phrasing ('who were 25%'). Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the intended meaning without severe difficulty.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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