Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22
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 provided pie chart illustrates the proportion of library users at a university, while the table categorizes the satisfaction level of people by library services.
Overall, the share of full-time undergraduate students was highest and the contribution of the academic staff was lowest. At a glance on table, pupils were the most satisfied by the helping behaviour of staff, while the availability of journals was at the bottom.
Students enrolled in full-time bachelor courses were at top about 44% compared to full-time postgraduates who were 25%, ranking on second number. On the other hand, the proportion of individuals who were taking part-time postgraduate courses was 16%.
On the other hand, 95% students were satisfied with the staff and availability of books was sharing fifty-fifty.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover both the pie chart and the table by identifying the main features, such as the highest proportion of full-time undergraduates at 44% and the highest satisfaction for staff helpfulness at 95%. However, the response falls significantly short of the 150-word minimum, containing only 124 words. This under-length impacts the overall development of ideas, leading to a penalty in Task Achievement. Furthermore, some data points are described rather loosely, such as availability of books sharing fifty-fifty, which misinterprets the 50% very satisfied and 40% fairly satisfied breakdown. To achieve a higher band, the writer must ensure the word count requirement is met and provide a more thorough, accurate overview of all key data trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into four brief paragraphs, starting with a clear introductory statement. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as "Overall," "At a glance," and "On the other hand." However, the logical progression is somewhat disjointed due to the brevity of the text. The transition between the pie chart data and the table data feels abrupt, and the use of "On the other hand" is repeated in close proximity without logical contrast. Paragraphing is attempted, but the paragraphs are too short to develop cohesive arguments fully. Referencing is generally clear, though referencing satisfaction levels as "pupils" is slightly imprecise in an academic context.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like "proportion," "illustrates," "categorizes," and "individuals." However, there are instances of unnatural word choice and imprecise phrasing, such as "helping behaviour of staff" instead of "helpfulness of staff," and "at top about 44%" rather than "accounting for approximately 44%." There are also awkward expressions like "ranking on second number." While spelling is generally accurate, the vocabulary lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands, remaining at a somewhat basic and repetitive level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses and comparative forms («...compared to full-time postgraduates who were 25%...»). There are several grammatical inaccuracies and awkward constructions, including "At a glance on table," "pupils were the most satisfied by," and "availability of books was sharing fifty-fifty." Punctuation is mostly acceptable, but the grammatical errors and clunky phrasings occasionally distract the reader, though they do not completely impede overall communication. A wider range of error-free complex sentences is needed to reach higher bands.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.