Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-14

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 and the table illustrate the outcomes of a survey of library members at a university.

overall, Students enrolling in a full-time undergraduate were accounted for the largest share of library users, followed by full-time postgraduate and part-time postgraduate. by contrast, distance learners and academic staff were both the joint-lowest proportion. Regarding user satisfaction, the largest percentage of students were very satisfied from from many services, and there were some of them not satisfied at all.

Full-time undergraduate, full-time postgraduate and part-time postgraduate accounted for the highest share of library users, at 44%, 25% and 16% respectively. Distance learning and academic staff were the joint-lowest proportion at 8% and 7% respectively.

Regarding library user satisfaction, 95% of users were very satisfied from helpfulness of staff, which is the highest percentage of sat

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main user group correctly: full-time undergraduates make up the largest share at 44%, and the figures for the other categories are also reported accurately. However, the response only partially covers the task because the satisfaction table is barely summarised: it mentions the 95% very satisfied with staff helpfulness but does not report the other service results or compare them. The overview also says distance learners and academic staff are “joint-lowest,” although their shares differ (8% and 7%). The final sentence is cut off, leaving the satisfaction discussion incomplete. The response is 16 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the limited coverage. To improve, complete the comparison of satisfaction ratings and give a clear overview of the strongest and weakest results.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, with an opening, an overview and separate discussion of user categories and satisfaction. The user-group figures are presented in a sensible order, and “Regarding user satisfaction” signals a shift to the table. However, progression is weakened by repeating the same category information in the overview and the next paragraph, while the satisfaction section is left unfinished. Linking is limited and sometimes awkward: “by contrast” does not clearly establish a contrast between the two smallest groups, and the repeated “Regarding” makes the transitions mechanical. Capitalisation at the start of the overview is also inconsistent. A clearer paragraph plan—overview, user categories, then satisfaction comparisons—would make the information easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant task vocabulary, including “share,” “proportion,” “library users” and “satisfaction,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, the range is limited and several phrases are unnatural or imprecise, such as “students enrolling in a full-time undergraduate,” “were accounted for the largest share,” and “very satisfied from from many services.” “Joint-lowest” is also inaccurate because the two percentages are not equal. These choices make parts of the report difficult to interpret and show limited control of collocation. Aim for concise, standard chart language and avoid repeating words. For example, describe groups as “accounted for” a percentage or “represented” a share, and say users were “very satisfied with” a service.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentence forms, including a comparison introduced by “followed by” and a clause beginning “which is the highest percentage.” However, the range is limited, and errors recur in basic sentence construction and punctuation. In “Students enrolling in a full-time undergraduate were accounted for the largest share,” the subject and verb pattern are faulty; “students enrolled as full-time undergraduates accounted for…” would be clearer. The sentence beginning “Regarding user satisfaction” also has an incomplete ending (“the highest percentage of sat…”), so it does not form a complete thought. There are further issues with capitalisation after “overall,” and the duplicated “from” disrupts the sentence. Use complete sentences and check verb patterns, articles and punctuation before finishing.

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