Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The pie chart illustrates the different categories of library users, while the table compares the results of a survey on user satisfaction at a university library.

Overall, it is clearly seen that full-time undergraduates constituted the largest proportion of library users, whereas academic staff accounted for the smallest percentage. By contrast, part-time postgraduates and full-time postgraduates represented relatively smaller proportions of users.

Likewise, library user quite satisfied by opening hours as there was no user to complain whereas availability recorded the highest proportion of not satisfied by around 20%.

Looking first at the categories of library users, 44% were full-time undergraduates, making them by far the largest group. Full-time postgraduates accounted for 25%, followed by part-time postgraduates at 16%. Meanwhile, distance-learning students represented 8% of users, while academic staff made up the remaining 7%.

Turning to the satisfaction survey, helpfulness of staff received the highest level of satisfaction, with 95% of respondents being very satisfied and the remaining 5% fairly satisfied. Library opening hours also received positive feedback, with 65% very satisfied and 35% fairly satisfied. In comparison, 50% of users were very satisfied with the availability of books, while 10% were not satisfied. The availability of journals and Wi-Fi recorded lower satisfaction levels, with 20% and 19% of users respectively reporting dissatisfaction.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of both the pie chart and the table. An adequate overview is provided in the second and third paragraphs, summarising key proportions and overall satisfaction trends. Data is accurately reported, such as noting that 44% were full-time undergraduates and 95% were very satisfied with the helpfulness of staff. Comparisons are made appropriately between categories and satisfaction levels. However, there are minor awkward phrasings in the overview paragraphs (e.g., 'library user quite satisfied by opening hours as there was no user to complain'), but the core information is effectively extracted and presented, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is divided into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs dedicated to the chart and the table respectively. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, including transition phrases like 'Looking first at', 'Meanwhile', and 'Turning to the satisfaction survey'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, guiding the reader smoothly from the visual data to the tabulated figures. Referencing is generally clear, contributing to a coherent overall arrangement that meets Band 7 criteria.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, incorporating terms such as 'constituted', 'proportion', 'accounted for', and 'respondents'. There is some flexibility and precision in describing data trends. However, there are occasional lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'library user quite satisfied by opening hours as there was no user to complain' and 'availability recorded the highest proportion of not satisfied', which detract slightly from naturalness and precision. These minor errors do not impede communication, placing the response solidly in the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and comparative constructions ('while the table compares', 'making them by far the largest group'). There is good control over grammar and punctuation overall, and many sentences are error-free. However, a few grammatical errors and awkward structures persist, notably in sentences like 'Likewise, library user quite satisfied by opening hours as there was no user to complain' which lacks a verb form. Despite these minor lapses, the control of grammar is generally strong and communication is never impeded, fitting the Band 7 descriptor well.

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