Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-27
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 given pie chart and table illustrates the results of a survey conducted in a university which was about the categories of library users with the percentage of satisfaction they had.
Overall, full time undergraduates made the majority by using the resources of the library. Academic staff used the library rarely. On the other hand, maximum users were very satisfied with the kindness and helpful nature of the staff. However, journals were less available due to which satisfaction level dropped to its minimum.
Almost half of the students were full-time undergraduate that made maximum percentage in the user category. Moreover only one-fourth of full time postgraduate used the resources of the public library. Distance learning that included all the courses and academic staff made upto 8% and 7% respectively.
On the other scenario, the percentage of satisfaction of individual were about 50, 40 and 10% for very satisfied, fairely satisfied and not satisfied. There were none of the learner who reported non-satisfactory level in opening hours and helpful nature of the staff of library.
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 covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of both the pie chart and the satisfaction table. An overview is present, and key comparisons are made, such as identifying that full-time undergraduates formed the largest category of library users (44%) and that academic staff used the library the least (7%). However, there are some minor inaccuracies in interpretation and data reporting, such as stating that journals were least available leading to a minimum satisfaction level (the table actually shows reliability of wi-fi had the lowest percentage of very satisfied users at 48%, though availability of journals had the highest 'not satisfied' figure at 20%). Furthermore, the student incorrectly refers to the institution as a 'public library' in the third paragraph, whereas the prompt specifies a university. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but with minor lapses in precision.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged into logical paragraphs, with an introductory sentence, a general overview, a body paragraph dedicated to the chart, and a final paragraph discussing the satisfaction table. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover'. However, some transitions are slightly awkward or mechanically applied, such as 'On the other scenario'. Paragraphing is generally appropriate, though the separation of ideas could be smoother. Referencing is mostly clear, though occasional lapses in linking clauses slightly disrupt the overall progression.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'majority', 'proportion', and 'satisfaction level'. However, there are notable word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'fairely' instead of 'fairly', 'non-satisfactory' instead of 'dissatisfied', and 'made upto' instead of 'accounted for'. The phrase 'made maximum percentage' is unnatural in academic contexts. Despite these flaws, the meaning remains clear throughout the response, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ('that made maximum percentage') and subordinate clauses. However, grammatical errors are frequent throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The given pie chart and table illustrates'), missing articles ('full time undergraduates made the majority', 'helpfulness of staff of library'), and preposition errors ('satisfaction of individual were'). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they persist across sentences and prevent the response from achieving a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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