Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-10

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 chart illustrates the outcome of a survey of library users at a university.

Now, turning to the details of pie chart indicates the significant portion of full-time undergraduate using library and around a half of full-time postgraduate are studying at library. Part-time postgraduate making use of library roughly one quarter from the total of use. An insignificant minority of every courses and academic staff is studying in the library.

Regarding to the survey results on user satisfaction table data clearly demonstrates, staff helpfulness received the highest approval, with an overwhelming 95% of respondents reporting being satisfied and 0% dissatisfied. Similarly, library opening hours were viewed very favorably, as 65% were very satisfied and 35% were fairly satisfied with no dissatisfaction recorded. In contrast, opinions were more mixed regarding facilities like book and journal availability, as well as Wi-Fi reliability. Specifically, 20% of users expressed dissatisfaction with journal availability, while 19% reported being unsatisfied with the Wi-Fi.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the survey’s two components and report several accurate satisfaction figures, including 95% very satisfied with staff helpfulness and no dissatisfaction with opening hours. You also note the comparatively high dissatisfaction with journals and Wi-Fi. However, the description of user categories contains major misreadings: full-time undergraduates are 44%, not simply a “significant portion” without a clear comparison; full-time postgraduates are 25%, not “around a half”; and part-time postgraduates are 16%, not roughly one quarter. The overview is also unclear, and the books and journals results are only partly covered. The response is 148 words, below the required 150, and the nine words copied from the prompt are excluded from that count. Develop a clear overview and report the categories accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable progression: it introduces the survey, discusses the user categories, and then turns to satisfaction results. The paragraph break helps distinguish the two visual elements, and phrases such as “In contrast” signal a change in comparison. However, the first paragraph is difficult to follow because several category descriptions are inaccurate or unclear, particularly “every courses and academic staff.” The transition “Now, turning to the details” is somewhat mechanical, and the opening paragraph lacks a clear summary of the main patterns. The satisfaction paragraph is more logically developed, but it omits some comparisons, such as the figures for books and journals beyond dissatisfaction. Use a concise overview and organise details in a clearer sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonably varied range of task-related vocabulary, including “overwhelming,” “dissatisfaction,” “availability,” and “reliability,” which allows you to describe the satisfaction data with some precision. Some less common expressions are attempted, but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “significant portion” is vague for a percentage, “studying at library” does not accurately describe library use, and “every courses” is not an appropriate phrase. “Approval” also slightly oversimplifies the distinction between very and fairly satisfied. These choices make the user-category section less precise, although the meaning of the satisfaction paragraph is generally clear. Aim for accurate collocations such as “accounted for,” “made up,” and “respondents were satisfied with,” and use the exact category labels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including a longer contrast sentence beginning “In contrast,” and the satisfaction paragraph is generally understandable. However, some sentence structures are incomplete or faulty, as in “Part-time postgraduate making use of library roughly one quarter from the total of use,” which lacks a finite verb and has unclear grammatical relationships. The opening of the category paragraph, “turning to the details of pie chart indicates,” also combines structures incorrectly. There are further issues with articles, plurals, and prepositions, for example “at library” and “every courses.” These errors sometimes make the first paragraph difficult to interpret, while the later sentences show better control. Practise complete clauses and check agreement and article use when describing proportions.

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