Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-07-29

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 8.0)

The chart illustrates the activities that Anthropology graduates did after finishing their undergraduate degree whereas the table compares the salaries of the anthropologists in work after five years.

It is evident from the pie chart that more than half of the students (52%) are engaged in full-time work while 15% of the students are doing part-time work. Moreover, 5% of the student are doing part-time work as well as post graduate study. However, 8% of them are mainly focusing on full-time post graduate study. In contrast, 12% of the students are unemployed and it is unknown what other 8% of them are doing.

Regarding salaries after five years, the government sector had the highest proportion of employees earning over $[redacted phone] (50%), followed by freelance consultants (40%) and private companies (30%). At the lower end of the salary scale ($[redacted phone]9), both freelance consultants and government workers accounted for only 5%, compared with 10% in private companies. Furthermore, private companies had the largest proportion of employees earning $[redacted phone]9 (35%).

Overall, most anthropology graduates found full-time employment, while the highest salaries after five years are mainly earned by those working in the government sector and as a freelance consultants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses both the pie chart and the table. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the high percentage of graduates in full-time work and the salary trends across different sectors. The comparison between sectors is clear and supported by specific data points, such as the 50% of government employees earning over $100,000. The overview provides a concise summary of the key trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully integrated; for instance, you could explicitly contrast the salary distribution of private companies with the government sector more directly to highlight the 'main features' more sharply.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each data set, and a concluding summary. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', 'In contrast', and 'Furthermore' effectively to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct data sources. The flow of information is easy to follow, and the relationship between the different categories is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information precisely, using terms like 'engaged in', 'proportion', 'accounted for', and 'salary scale'. The language is appropriate for an academic report. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede meaning. To improve, you could incorporate more sophisticated synonyms or varied reporting verbs to avoid repetition, such as 'constituted' or 'represented' instead of 'accounted for' or 'had'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are minor slips, such as '5% of the student are' (should be 'students') and 'as a freelance consultants' (should be 'as freelance consultants'). These are rare and do not hinder communication. The use of punctuation is generally correct, and the control over complex structures, such as the introductory participial phrase in the final paragraph, is good.

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