Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-10

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 7.5)

This pie chart illustrates what Anthropology graduates from one university did after finishing their undergraduate degree. The table shows the salaries of the anthropologists after five years of work.

Overall, full-time employment was by far the most common destination for graduates. After five years, the highest proportion of freelance consultants and government employees earned at least $100,000, whereas private-sector employees were more evenly distributed across the salary ranges.

In terms of destinations, 52% of graduates entered full-time work, making this the largest category. A further 15% worked part-time, while 5% combined part-time employment with postgraduate study. Meanwhile, 8% pursued postgraduate study on a full-time basis. The remaining graduates were either unemployed (12%) or had an unknown destination (8%).

Looking at salaries after five years, 40% of freelance consultants earned between $75,000 and $99,999, and another 40% received $100,000 or more. Government employees had a similar pattern, with 50% earning over $100,000. By contrast, only 30% of private-company employees reached this salary level, although 35% earned between $50,000 and $74,999.

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 main trends and successfully selected key data points to illustrate the comparisons between graduate destinations and salary distributions. The information is accurate and well-supported by the figures provided. To reach a higher band, you could aim to integrate the two datasets more explicitly, perhaps by noting if there is a correlation between the most popular destinations and the resulting salary levels. However, the current response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task thoroughly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the two distinct datasets (destinations and salaries). Cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'Meanwhile', 'By contrast', and 'although' are used naturally and accurately to link sentences and clauses. The information flows smoothly, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. There is a logical transition from the general overview to the specific details, which makes the report easy to follow and professional in tone.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'most common destination', 'evenly distributed', and 'pursued postgraduate study' are used accurately. You avoid repetition by using varied terminology to describe the data. While the vocabulary is precise and fits the context well, it remains largely functional. To achieve a higher score, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or nuanced reporting verbs to describe the data trends, though the current range is sufficient to convey meaning with precision and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writing displays a high level of grammatical control. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while 5% combined...', 'although 35% earned...'). Punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. The writing is clear and demonstrates a solid grasp of English grammar suitable for this task.

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

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