Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-08

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 7.5)

The pie chart details the initial occupations of Anthropology students after graduation and the table records their salaries following 5 years of work in various sectors.

Overall, most graduates took full-time positions, followed by part-time jobs, unemployment, graduate study or unknown, and finally part-time work together with graduate study. The average salaries tended to be much higher for freelance consultants than those working in the government and private companies, though there were many federal workers in the highest salary bracket.

A total of 52% of graduates were employed full-time, compared to 15% for part-time, 12% unemployed, 8% categorised as unknown, 8% pursuing full-time further education, and finally 5% combining part-time work and higher education study.

Turning to the table, freelance consultants were overwhelmingly employed in the upper pay scales at 40% in both $75,000 – $99,999 and $100,000+, with just 20% making between $25,000 and $74,999. Government employees displayed a broadly similar pattern with identical figures at the two lowest pay bands, 30% in the $75,000 to $99,999 range, and 50% earning over a hundred thousand dollars a year. Private industry salaries diverged generally with 10% in the lowest income range, a striking 35% earning $50,000 to $74,999, while 25% and 30% of graduates made $75,000 – $99,999 and $100,000+, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses both parts of the prompt. You have provided a clear overview of the pie chart and table, and the selection of data is relevant and accurate. You successfully compared the employment statuses and salary brackets across the different sectors. The main features are well-highlighted, such as the dominance of full-time employment and the salary distribution for freelance consultants versus private industry workers. The information is logically grouped, and the comparison between the categories is clear and well-supported by the data provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-structured with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose: the introduction, the overview, the pie chart analysis, and the table analysis. Cohesive devices such as 'Turning to the table', 'followed by', and 'compared to' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly from one point to the next. There is a clear sense of organization, and the relationship between the different pieces of information is consistently maintained throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases such as 'initial occupations', 'categorised as', 'overwhelmingly employed', and 'diverged generally' show a level of sophistication. The terminology used to describe the data is accurate and precise. While the vocabulary is effective, there is room to incorporate slightly more varied or academic collocations to reach the highest band. However, the current range is sufficient to convey the information clearly and with a good degree of precision, and there are no significant errors in word choice or spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response exhibits a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of participial phrases ('combining part-time work and higher education study') and comparative structures ('compared to 15% for part-time'). The grammar is generally accurate, with the majority of sentences being error-free. Punctuation is used correctly to separate clauses and list data points. There are no major grammatical slips that impede communication, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the report, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.