Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-04
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 pie chart illustrates the destinations of Anthropology graduates (from one university) which are divided into six sectors. The sectors represent full-time work, part-time work, part-time work and postgrad study, full-time postgrad study, unemployed, and a sector for unknown students. The table shows the salaries of Anthropology graduates after five years of work with three types of employment.
Overall, there is an abundance of full-time workers which are taking a significant portion of the pie chart, whereas the other five categories cover the rest. The graduates working in the government sector are performing astonishingly well, followed by freelance consultants.
52% of the graduates are working full-time followed by part-time work which cover 15%. 8% are pursuing full-time postgrad study similar to the 5% in part-time work and postgrad study. However, the remaining 20% is taken up by unemployed and not known graduates.
Moving on, 80% of the graduates are divided equally in the freelance consultants employment earning 75-99 or more than 100 thousand dollars. Half of the graduates working in the government sector have salaries above one hundred thousand dollars. Lastly, the graduates in private companies are mostly earning 50-75 thousand dollars or more than one hundred thousand dollars.
In conclusion, a substantial amount of graduates are working either full-time or part-time resulting in them earning outstanding salaries.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and highlighting key data points. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the interpretation of the table data. For instance, the statement '80% of the graduates are divided equally in the freelance consultants employment' is a misreading of the table, which shows percentages of graduates within specific salary brackets, not a total of 80%. Additionally, the conclusion makes a sweeping generalization about 'outstanding salaries' that is not fully supported by the data provided. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the table data prevents a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the pie chart data from the table data. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'However', and 'Moving on' are used to guide the reader through the information. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the connection between the data points in the final paragraph could be more sophisticated. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use topic-specific language such as 'destinations', 'sectors', and 'freelance consultants'. However, there are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'abundance of full-time workers' (which is not the correct use of 'abundance' in this context) and 'not known graduates'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. The errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the overall impact of the analysis.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'which are taking a significant portion' (should be 'which take') and 'followed by part-time work which cover 15%' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is generally correct, and the meaning is clear throughout. While the writer attempts complex structures, the control is not consistent, leading to occasional errors. The majority of sentences are understandable, and the errors do not significantly hinder the reader's comprehension of the data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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