Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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)

This pie chart illustrates, the results of a survey of library users at a university.

Overall, there are five library users categories in which full-time undergraduate students have the highest user percentage. The academic staff has the lowest user percentage in the graph. Then, there is library user satisfaction percentage in which helpfulness of staff ranks at top. Where as, availability of journals ranks lower as compares to other factors.

Full-time undergraduate users percentage is 44% and 25% users are Full-time postgraduate where as, 16% users are Part-time postgraduate. Distance learning users are 8% and academic staff are only 7%.

Library users are 65% very satisfied with the library opening hours, 35% fairly satisfied. They are 95% very satisfied with helpfulness of staff, 5% fairly satisfied and for the availability of journals they are 45% very satisfied and 35% fairly satisfied.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main user group accurately: full-time undergraduates account for 44%, while academic staff are the smallest group at 7%. You also report the strongest satisfaction result correctly, with 95% very satisfied with staff helpfulness. However, the response is only 130 words, below the 150-word minimum, and the satisfaction summary is incomplete: it omits the results for books and wi-fi, and gives no overall comparison of satisfaction across all five aspects. The claim that journals rank lower is broadly supported by their 20% dissatisfied figure, but the overview would be clearer if it highlighted this alongside staff helpfulness. Develop the key comparisons and include the missing data selectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate details about user categories and satisfaction. This helps the reader follow the basic topic. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph reports only three satisfaction categories and ends without covering the remaining aspects. Linking is also sometimes awkward or repetitive, as in “where as” and the repeated use of “and.” The sentence beginning “Then, there is library user satisfaction percentage” does not connect the two chart components smoothly. Organise the body into clear groups—user categories, then satisfaction results—and use concise transitions to show contrasts and rankings. This would make the information easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “full-time undergraduate,” “academic staff,” “very satisfied,” and “availability of journals,” so the reader can understand the main categories and measures. However, some phrasing is repetitive or imprecise: “user percentage” is repeated, and “ranks lower as compares to other factors” is not a natural way to describe the figures. “Pie chart” is also an overly narrow label for a task containing both a chart and a table. Aim for more precise reporting language such as “accounted for,” “the largest share,” and “received the lowest satisfaction ratings.” Check collocations and spelling, including “whereas,” and avoid repeating the same wording when comparing groups.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate the main figures using mostly simple sentence patterns, and several statements are understandable, such as “Distance learning users are 8% and academic staff are only 7%.” However, the range is limited, and errors appear in sentence construction and punctuation. The opening comma in “This pie chart illustrates, the results” is unnecessary. In “The academic staff has the lowest user percentage,” the article and agreement pattern are awkward, while “Where as” is incorrectly separated and begins a fragment after the preceding sentence. The phrase “as compares to” also shows an inaccurate grammatical form. Practise combining comparisons into complete sentences and check articles, agreement, and punctuation before submitting.

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