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 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% of 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 participation 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 | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response successfully addresses both parts of the prompt by summarising the pie chart regarding library user categories and the table showing satisfaction levels. The student reports the main features accurately, identifying the highest category in the chart (full-time undergraduates at 44%) and noting key trends in the table, such as high satisfaction for opening hours (65%) and staff helpfulness (95%). Key comparisons are made where relevant, distinguishing between very satisfied and fairly satisfied groups. However, the data reporting tends to be a bit descriptive rather than fully synthesized, which keeps the score at a solid Band 6.5 to 7. Overall, all parts of the task are addressed adequately with relevant data points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response features a clear overall arrangement with an introductory paragraph, two body paragraphs focusing separately on the chart and table, and a logical progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In the pie chart', 'After that', and 'In the table' are used to guide the reader through the text, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive (e.g., beginning multiple sentences with 'In the...'). Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different data sets. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional clunky phrasing like 'that is used by' affects the smooth flow of cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'percentage', 'categories', 'contribution', 'satisfaction level', and 'ratio'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices and collocations are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'learners in the higher education department' instead of undergraduates, or 'students contributed in library'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the data points being presented.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with attempts at relative clauses (e.g., 'who were 25%', 'that is 65% and 95% respectively'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, such as 'is higher in satisfied category that is' (missing articles) and 'almost same as the participation in the library' (ungrammatical comparison). Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while these errors are noticeable and require some re-reading, they do not severely impede overall communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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