Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-17

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 6.5)

The pie chart illustrates the proportion of destinations of Anthropology graduates across six categories from one university, while the table provides the information of the salaries of Anthropology graduates after 5 years of experience.

Overall, full-time work destination accounted for the largest proportion, while part-time work combined with postgraduate study represented the smallest share. In contrast, the government sector had the highest proportion of employees earning more than 100,000 dollars, whereas the least number of employees earned between 25,000 and 49,999 dollars.

Regarding the destinations of graduates, full-time graduates accounted for the highest proportion, at 52%. Additionally, part-time graduates represented 15%, followed by unemployed graduates, at 12%. By comparison, full-time postgraduate and not known graduates represented the common figure, at 8% each. Similarly, only 5% were held by the part-time graduates along with postgraduate study.

Turning to salaries of the graduates after five years of experience in terms of employment. Freelance consultants had 5% of the employees earning between 25,000 and 49,999 dollars, while 15% employees earned between 50,000 and 74,999 dollars. While 40% of employees were earning between 75,000 and 99,999 dollars. This figure was constant for the employees earning above 100,000 dollars. Government sector, on the other hand, had 5% of employees earning between 25,000 and 49,999 dollars, 15% employees between 50,000-74,999 dollars, and 30% between 75,000-99,999 dollars. Furthermore, 50% of the total employees were earning above 100,000 dollars. Nevertheless, private companies had 10% of employees earning between the range of 25,000-49,999 dollars, while 35% between 50,000-74,999 dollars, and 25% between 75,000-99,999 dollars. In addition, 30% of the private companies employees earned more than 100,000 dollars.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses both parts of the prompt. You have successfully identified the main features of the pie chart and the table, providing a clear overview and supporting details. The comparisons are relevant, such as noting the government sector's higher salaries compared to other categories. However, the analysis of the table data is slightly mechanical, listing percentages rather than synthesizing the information more fluently. To reach a higher band, ensure that the 'main features' are highlighted more prominently in the overview, and avoid listing every single data point, which can make the report feel like a data dump rather than a summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast,' 'Regarding,' and 'Turning to' to guide the reader through the data. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive or mechanical. For instance, the start of the final paragraph is a bit abrupt. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is generally clear. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking phrases to connect sentences more naturally, rather than relying on standard transition words at the beginning of every paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Terms like 'proportion,' 'destinations,' and 'freelance consultants' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'only 5% were held by the part-time graduates' and 'represented the common figure,' which sound slightly unnatural. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Incorporating more varied synonyms for 'increase,' 'decrease,' and 'proportion' would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response shows a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have good control over basic grammar, and your meaning is always clear. There are some minor errors, such as 'the least number of employees earned' (should be 'the smallest percentage') and '15% employees' (missing 'of'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly awkward, like 'This figure was constant for the employees earning above 100,000 dollars.' While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the writing from being considered error-free. Increasing the use of more complex, error-free structures would improve your score.

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.