Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29
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 pie chart illustrates the different categories of library users, while table provides information about level of satisfaction of library users at a university.
Overall, full-time undergraduate [cross-out] constituted for the largest proportion of library users. In terms of satisfaction, table shows varying levels of satisfaction among the different categories of library users.
Looking first at pie chart, academic staff is accounted for least proportion which is similar to distance learning (all courses). Moreover, extremely satisfied users of a library helpfulness of staff represented the largest share of 95%. By comparison, helpfulness of staff fairly satisfied constituted the lowest proportion.
Furthermore, availability of books proportion stood at 50% which is similar to reliability of wifi. The full time postgraduates accounted for 25%, while users fairly satisfied with opening hours of library proportion made of up 35% total in contrast availability of journals remain same as opening hours of a 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 table. An overview is present, and key data points such as the undergraduate proportion (44%) and staff helpfulness (95% very satisfied) are correctly identified and compared. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and confusion in data reporting later in the text, such as mixing up satisfaction categories with feature proportions (e.g., stating availability of books proportion stood at 50% which is similar to reliability of wifi, when 50% refers to those very satisfied with books). Ideas are generally relevant, but the lack of precise data integration keeps the response at a Band 6.0 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into distinct paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by an overall summary, and body paragraphs focusing on specific data sets. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'Looking first at', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore', to guide the reader through the charts. However, referencing and cohesion occasionally become mechanical or unclear, particularly in the later paragraphs where sentences are dense and confusingly linked (e.g., 'in contrast availability of journals remain same as opening hours of a library'). Paragraphing is used, but the overall progression lacks seamless clarity. This corresponds to a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'constituted for the largest proportion' and 'varying levels of satisfaction'. However, there are frequent word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'constituted for' instead of 'constituted', 'academic staff is accounted for least proportion', and 'extremely satisfied users of a library helpfulness of staff'. Spelling is generally correct, but awkward phrasing and unnatural collocations occasionally impede smooth reading. This places the lexical performance firmly at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using relative clauses and comparative forms such as 'which is similar to' and 'while users fairly satisfied with...'. However, there are multiple grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('while table provides', 'from pie chart', 'opening hours of library'), incorrect verb forms ('is accounted for least proportion', 'remain same'), and clumsy prepositions ('proportion made of up 35% total in contrast availability'). While these errors do not completely obscure meaning, they occur frequently and prevent the response from achieving a higher band. This is a clear Band 5.5 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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