Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The pie chart shows the destinations of anthropology graduates from one university after completing their graduation degree, while the table illustrates their salaries after 5 years of work.

Overall, the majority of graduates went into full-time work. In terms of salary, a higher proportion of government sector and private company employees earned over $100,000 compared to freelance consultants.

Looking at the pie chart, 52% of graduates were in full-time work, which was by far the largest group. 15% were doing part time work, while 12% were full-time unemployed. The remaining graduates were doing either 8% not known or 8% were doing full-time postgraduate study and 5% were doing part-time work+ postgraduate study.

The table shows salary across three employment types. For freelance consultants, 40% earned over $100,000 which was the highest proportion in the bracket. In contrast, the government sector had 50% earning over $100,000, and 30% of private company workers were in the same range.

At the lower end, 25% of government employees earned between $25,000-$49,999 compared to only 5% of freelancers and 10% of private sector workers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of both the pie chart and the table. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with relevant data. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting. For instance, you stated that 40% of freelance consultants earned over $100,000, but the table indicates 40% earned between $75,000-$99,999. Additionally, you mentioned 50% of government employees earned over $100,000, while the table shows 40%. Accuracy in data transcription is vital for this task. To reach a higher band, ensure that every figure cited matches the source material exactly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In terms of,' 'Looking at,' and 'In contrast' to guide the reader through the information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct data sets. The progression of ideas is clear, although the transition between the pie chart analysis and the table could be slightly smoother. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'destinations,' 'proportion,' and 'employment types.' There are some minor issues with phrasing, such as 'full-time unemployed,' which is slightly contradictory, and 'work+ postgraduate study,' which is informal. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid using symbols like '+' in your writing. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. However, there are some minor errors, such as '8% not known or 8% were doing full-time postgraduate study,' which is syntactically awkward. Another example is 'salary across three employment types,' which would be better as 'salaries across the three employment types.' Despite these small slips, your grammar does not impede communication, and you maintain a good level of control throughout the text.

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

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