Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-08

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 4.0)

The charts illustrate information about Anthropology graduates from one university and their salaries after 5 years of work.

Looking first at Full-time work recorded the highest figure, at 52%, followed by 15 % of part-time wor. By contrast, part-time + postgrad study

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The opening identifies the subject of both visuals, and the response correctly reports that full-time work was the largest destination at 52%, followed by part-time work at 15%. However, it stops mid-sentence after “part-time + postgrad study” and does not report the remaining destination figures or any salary information from the table. There is also no overview of the main patterns or meaningful comparison between employment sectors. The response is substantially below the required 150 words, which leaves the task only minimally addressed. To improve, complete the summary, select the key figures from both visuals, and state the main contrasts—for example, that government employees most often earned $100,000 or more.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The response begins with a relevant introductory sentence and then signals a sequence with “Looking first at,” followed by a contrast marker, “By contrast.” These choices show an attempt to organise information. However, the second paragraph is incomplete: “By contrast, part-time + postgrad study” has no finished point, and the response provides no progression to the salary table or a concluding overview. As a result, the reader cannot follow a complete account of the visuals. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs for the graduate destinations and salary comparisons, and ensure each linking phrase introduces a complete, logically connected idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses relevant task vocabulary, including “Anthropology graduates,” “salaries,” “Full-time work,” and “part-time + postgrad study,” so the topic is generally clear. It also attempts to describe data with “highest figure” and “followed by.” However, the vocabulary range is very limited because the response ends before it can describe the table or make further comparisons. “Part-time wor” is incomplete, and “part-time + postgrad study” is an informal shorthand rather than a polished chart label. Use complete, consistent terms such as “part-time employment” and “part-time work combined with postgraduate study,” alongside comparison language such as “accounted for” or “the largest proportion.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The opening sentence is grammatically clear, and the phrase “followed by 15% of part-time wor” shows an attempt to use a participial structure to compare figures. However, the response is too short to demonstrate a range of sentence forms, and the final clause beginning “By contrast” is unfinished, so it does not form a complete sentence. The wording “Looking first at Full-time work recorded the highest figure” also has an unclear grammatical relationship between the introductory phrase and the main clause. A clearer version would be: “Looking first at graduate destinations, full-time work recorded the highest figure.” Build complete sentences for each comparison and check that introductory phrases clearly connect to their subjects.

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

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