Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-14

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 pie chart illustrates the career paths of Anthropology graduates from one university after completing their undergraduate degree, while the table shows the salaries of those who were employed five years later.

Overall, the largest proportion of graduates entered full-time work, while only a small percentage remained unemployed or pursued part-time work and further study. After five years, salaries varied considerably across the different employment sectors, with private-sector employees generally earning the highest incomes.

Regarding the destinations of Anthropology graduates, the largest proportion entered full-time employment, at 57%. This was followed by those who worked part-time, at 15%, while 12% of graduates were unemployed. A further 8% chose to pursue further study, and 5% combined part-time employment with further education. The remaining 3% fell into other categories.

Turning to the salaries of anthropologists after five years, government employees were most likely to earn between $25,000 and $49,999, with 50% falling into this range. By contrast, only 10% of those working for private companies and 5% of freelance anthropologists earned within this range. At the higher end, 40% of both private-sector and freelance anthropologists earned between $75,000 and $99,999, compared with just 15% of government employees. The proportion earning $100,000 or more was 15% in both the private and freelance sectors, while only 5% of government workers reached this level.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of both the pie chart and the table. The overview clearly highlights the key trends, such as the dominance of full-time work and the salary disparities between sectors. You have also made relevant comparisons, such as contrasting the government salary distribution with the private and freelance sectors. All data points are accurately represented, and the information is logically grouped, ensuring the reader gets a clear picture of the data provided. You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is well-organized with a clear structure. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, the career destinations, and the salary data. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Regarding the destinations,' 'Turning to the salaries,' and 'By contrast,' which help guide the reader through the information smoothly. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from general career paths to specific salary breakdowns. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different data sets, making the report easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a strong command of vocabulary, using precise terms such as 'career paths,' 'employment sectors,' 'freelance,' and 'proportion.' The language is natural and appropriate for an academic report. You avoid repetition by using varied synonyms and structures to describe the data. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is sufficiently wide to convey complex comparisons with ease. Your ability to integrate statistical data with descriptive language is highly effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The grammar is highly accurate throughout the response. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as 'The pie chart illustrates... while the table shows...' and 'At the higher end, 40% of both private-sector and freelance anthropologists earned..., compared with just 15% of government employees.' Punctuation is used correctly to manage these complex sentences. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. There are no grammatical slips that impede communication.

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

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