Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
THE GIVEN PIE CHART PRESENTS THE PROPORTION OF SURVEY ABOUT CATEGORIES OF LIBRARY USERS AT A UNIVERSITY. THE TABLE ILLUSTRATES THE INFORMATION OF USERS SATISFACTION.
OVERALL, THE FULL TIME UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ACCOUNTED FOR THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF LIBRARY USERS WHILE, THE ACADEMIC STAFF ACCOUNTED FOR LOWEST PERCENTAGE.
THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIBRARY USERS. FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATES COUNTED FOR 44 PERCENT. HOWEVER, FULL-TIME POSTGRADUATE LIABLE FOR 25 PERCENT. IN ADDITION, ACADEMIC STAFF CONTRIBUTED WITH THE LOWEST PORTION. DISTANCE LARNING STUDENTS CONTRIBUTED 8 PORTION AND PART TIME POSTGRADUATE DOUBLED THE DISTANCE LEARING.
AS FAR AS LIBRARY SATISFACTION IS CONCERNED, THE HIGHLY SATISFIED BY STAFF OF LIBRARY ABOUT 95 PERCENT. FURTHERMORE, ONLY 10 PERCENT STUDENTS ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH JOURNALS AVAILIBILITY.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover both parts of the prompt, mentioning the pie chart data on library user categories and the table on user satisfaction. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, correctly identifying the largest category (full-time undergraduates at 44%) and the smallest (academic staff at 7%). However, the response falls significantly below the required 150-word minimum, containing only 119 words. Furthermore, some data is either vague, inaccurate, or incomplete; for instance, the writer states 'DISTANCE LARNING STUDENTS CONTRIBUTED 8 PORTION' instead of 8 percent, and omits key comparative figures across the satisfaction table, only mentioning staff satisfaction and journal dissatisfaction. Due to the under-length penalty and incomplete data reporting, this response meets the criteria for Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is structured into short paragraphs, including an introduction and an overview. However, the paragraphing is underdeveloped due to the brevity of the text, and some sentences appear as isolated bullet-like statements. Cohesive devices are used sparingly and sometimes mechanically, such as 'HOWEVER', 'IN ADDITION', and 'AS FAR AS... IS CONCERNED'. While the overall logical progression is somewhat maintained by addressing the chart first and the table second, the lack of cohesive depth and choppy sentence transitions prevents the response from achieving a higher score. It fits the Band 5.0 descriptor for mechanical cohesion and limited progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, featuring frequent reliance on simple terms like 'ACCOUNTED FOR', 'CONTRIBUTED', and 'PERCENT'. There are also lexical errors and typos, such as 'LARNING' instead of learning, 'LEARING' instead of learning, and 'LIABLE FOR' instead of accounting for or making up. Although the writer attempts some less common vocabulary such as 'PROPORTION', 'SATISFACTION', and 'AVAILIBILITY' (spelled with an extra i), the frequent word-choice inaccuracies and limited range place this response securely at Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student uses a mix of simple sentences and a few attempted complex structures. However, grammatical control is weak. There are noticeable errors such as 'THE PROPORTION OF SURVEY ABOUT' instead of 'the results of a survey on', missing subjects or awkward phrasing in 'THE HIGHLY SATISFIED BY STAFF OF LIBRARY ABOUT 95 PERCENT', and capitalization of the entire text which interferes with proper punctuation assessment. Errors in verb forms and prepositions are frequent and can cause some difficulty for the reader. This corresponds to a Band 5.0 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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