Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-10

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 university did after finishing their undergraduates degree course. The table illustrates the salaries of the anthropologists in work after five years.

Overall, it is noticeable that full-time work graduates made up the largest group of anthropology graduates while not known represented smallest proportion.

It is evident that the destination of anthropology graduates from one universities for full-time work 52%, part-time work 15%, part-time work+postgrad study 5%, full-time postgrad study 8%, unemployed 12%, and not known catagery 8%.

A closer look reveals that the table shows the salaries of anthropology graduates after five years. The salary $25,000-49,999 for freelance consultants 5%, government sector 5% and private companies 10% and $50,000-74,999 salary for freelance consultants 15%, government sector 5% and private companies 10%. Salaries of anthropology graduates of $75,000-99,999 of freelance consultants 40%, government sector 30% and private companies 25% and people with more than $100,000+ salary in freelance consultants 40%, government sector 50% and private companies 30%. Government workers earns most at the top and freelancers earns most in the middle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main destination pattern accurately: full-time work is the largest category at 52%, and you report the other destination figures. You also make a useful overall comparison between the highest salary band in government and the middle-to-upper bands for freelancers. However, the overview is incomplete: “not known” is not the smallest group, since part-time work plus postgraduate study is only 5%. There is also a significant table-reading error: for $50,000–$74,999, government is 15%, not 5%, and private companies are 35%, not 10%. The response covers both visuals, but limited selection and these inaccuracies leave important comparisons unclear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to the chart figures and then the salary table. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these sections, and phrases such as “Overall” and “A closer look reveals” signal the intended progression. However, the body paragraphs largely list figures rather than grouping them into meaningful comparisons, so the progression is limited. The salary information is especially difficult to follow because several categories are packed into long, repetitive sentences, and the final comparison is not clearly linked to the figures. Organise the table by salary bands or employment types, and use clear contrast markers to show how the groups differ.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “graduates,” “full-time work,” “postgrad study,” “freelance consultants” and “salary,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly repeated use of “illustrates” and “salary.” Some word-choice and spelling problems are noticeable: “not known catagery” is unclear, and “undergraduates degree course” is not the natural form for this context. Phrases such as “people with more than $100,000+ salary” are also awkward and make the comparison less precise. Aim for accurate terms such as “proportion,” “income band” and “earned,” while checking spelling and avoiding unnecessary repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You produce several understandable simple statements, and the opening sentence communicates the subject of the chart. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and the response relies heavily on sentence fragments and lists rather than complete, varied sentences. For example, “The salary $25,000-49,999 for freelance consultants 5%...” has no clear verb, while “Government workers earns most” has a subject–verb agreement error. Other problems include “from one universities” and missing articles or linking verbs in the sentence listing destination percentages. These errors sometimes make relationships between figures difficult to follow. Build complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and practise accurate agreement and article use before attempting longer comparisons.

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