Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31
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 and table illustrate the performance of a survey of library users at a institution.
Overall, nearly half user of the library entered full-time undergraduate, while the helpfulness of staff received the highest satisfaction rating.
According to the pie chart, 44% of users full-time undergraduate. Full-time postgraduate accounted for 25%, while 16% were part-time postgraduate users. In addition, the figures for academic staff and distance learning users were 7% and 8%, respectively.
The table indicates that library opening hours and helpfulness staff users were the highest satisfied accounted for 65% to 95%, respectively. Meanwhile not satisfied at 0% in both categories. Furthermore, half of users were very satisfied for availability of books and 40% fairly satisfied in library, while 10% users were not satisfied. Moreover, availability of journals and reliability of wi-fi users accounted for 45% and 48% very satisfied respectively. Both users were fairly satisfied approximately 35% to 33%, respectively.
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
You identify the main user group and a key satisfaction result: full-time undergraduates make up 44% of users, and staff helpfulness has the highest very-satisfied figure at 95%. You also report most category percentages accurately. However, the overview is brief and does not bring together the main satisfaction pattern, such as the strong ratings for opening hours and staff alongside lower ratings for journals and Wi-Fi. Some details are unclear, particularly “65% to 95%” and the comparison of fairly satisfied users. The response is also 144 words, below the required 150; the eight words copied from the prompt are excluded. Add a concise overview and clarify the comparisons to address the task more fully.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph on user categories, and a paragraph on satisfaction. This helps the reader follow the two visuals, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Meanwhile,” and “Furthermore” show an attempt to connect information. However, progression within the final paragraph is sometimes difficult to follow. For example, “opening hours and helpfulness staff users were the highest satisfied accounted for 65% to 95%” combines two comparisons in an unclear structure, while “Both users” does not clearly identify what it refers to. Organise the satisfaction figures into clearer comparisons and use precise references to each category; this would make cohesion less mechanical and the sequence easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant task vocabulary, including “accounted for,” “satisfaction rating,” “availability,” and “reliability,” and the reader can generally understand the categories being described. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which limits precision. “Performance of a survey” does not naturally describe the visuals, and “nearly half user” is not an appropriate phrase for the 44% share. Expressions such as “the highest satisfied” and “Both users” also make the intended meaning less clear. Aim for natural chart-reporting language and accurate noun phrases, while varying repeated uses of “users” and “satisfied.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple statements and longer sentences, and the main figures are often understandable. However, errors in sentence structure, articles, and verb forms occur repeatedly. For example, “at a institution” has an article error, and “44% of users full-time undergraduate” is missing a verb and a linking phrase. In “helpfulness staff users were the highest satisfied accounted for 65% to 95%,” the sentence structure makes the relationship between the figures difficult to interpret. The final sentence also uses “Both users” where the categories, rather than people, are being compared. Practise complete subject–verb structures and build comparisons in separate, controlled clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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