Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below shows what Anthropology graduates from one university did after finishing their undergraduate degree course. The table shows the salaries of the anthropologists in work after five years.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparison where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The chart illustrates what anthropology graduates from one higher institution did after finishing their undergraduate degree program. The table depicts

the amount an anthropologists earn after five years of working.

Overall, The anthropology graduates who work full accounted for the largest percentage. Whereas, the part-time and post-graduates study consituted for the lowest proportion. In addition, The salaries of graduates employed by freelance consultants and government sector had the lowest pay percentage the begining of the year. However, the percentage increase over the five years period while government sector was accounted for the highest salary percentage, followed by freelance consultants. In contrast, the graduates employed by private companies earns more at the begining the salaries but they were recorded as the lowest earner at the end of the period.

The percentage of anthropology graduates who works full-time had the highest percentage which is 52%. Followed by those graduates who work part-time which accounted for 15%, The proportion of full-time post grad had 12% while part time and post grad had 5%. In contrast 12% of them are unemployed and 8% are unknown

The salaries paid by freelance consultant and government sector had the lowest proportion which was 5%.This figures grew to 15%, freelance consultant had a significant rose in percentage which 40% and it maintained that same percentage at the end of the year. Whereas, government sector also experienced a significant rose in salaries percentage which was 30%. However this figure increased to 50% accounting for highest proportion. In contrast private companies had 10% which was the highest percentage. This number increased but later end up becoming the lowest percentage which was 30%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover both the graduate destinations and the salary table, and identify full-time work as the largest destination category. You also make relevant comparisons between the employment sectors, including the high top salary share in government and freelance work. However, several figures and interpretations are inaccurate: full-time postgraduate study is 8%, not 12%, and the private-company share earning $100,000 or more is 30%, not the lowest figure; its lowest salary band is 10%. The overview also describes the salary figures as changing over five years, although the table compares salary bands after five years of work rather than showing a time trend. More precise reporting of the salary bands and a clearer overview of the main contrasts would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate discussion of destinations and salaries. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes weakened by abrupt or mechanically linked statements, such as “Whereas” beginning a sentence fragment and repeated uses of “In contrast” and “However.” Some references are also unclear: “This number” does not specify which private-company salary band is being discussed, and “this figure” could refer to more than one value. Grouping the salary comparisons by band or sector, and using clearer links between related figures, would make the organisation more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounted for,” “employed,” and “significant.” These choices help communicate the broad comparisons. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which limits precision: “the lowest pay percentage the beginning of the year” does not suit a table showing salary bands after five years, and “a significant rose” is not a natural expression. “Highest percentage” is also repeated where “largest share” or a specific salary band would be clearer. Spelling errors such as “consituted” and “begining” further reduce control. Aim for accurate chart language and check spelling and collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses, and the main message is usually understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and agreement occur often enough to make some statements awkward. For example, “Whereas, the part-time and post-graduates study constituted…” is a fragment, while “the graduates employed by private companies earns” has subject–verb disagreement. There are also inconsistent articles and number forms, as in “an anthropologists,” and punctuation problems where clauses are joined with commas or sentence boundaries are missing. Practise building complete sentences around comparisons, checking singular and plural subjects, and using punctuation to separate independent clauses.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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