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 two charts illustrate what anthropology graduates from one university did after finish their degree course and salaries after 5 years work.

Overall, it is clear that full-time work is the most popular destination for antrhropology graduates, while the least was part-time + post postgrad study. Government sector has the highest salaries ceiling after 5 years of work, whereas private companies salaries was slightly lower.

Regarding the destination of antrhropology, full-time work had by far the highest percentage, at 52%. By comparison, both full-time post grad study and not known category has the same figures, accounted for 8% followed by part-time work + postgrad study at only 5%.

Looking at the salaries of antrhropology graduates after 5 years work, the government sector ranked first for the [redacted phone]$ category at 50%. Freelance consultants and private companies followed with 40% and 30% respectively, while freelance consultants and government sector had by far the lowest figure and same percentage for $[redacted phone]9 category at 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task, including both the chart and the table. You have successfully identified the main features and made relevant comparisons, such as noting that full-time work is the most popular destination and highlighting the salary differences between sectors. However, the analysis could be more precise. For instance, you mention 'government sector has the highest salaries ceiling', but the data shows a distribution across categories rather than a single ceiling. Additionally, ensure you accurately report the data; for example, you state 'not known category has the same figures' as full-time postgrad study, which is correct, but the phrasing could be more formal. Overall, the information is clearly presented and relevant to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the two distinct data sets. You use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Regarding', and 'By comparison' to guide the reader through the information. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by ensuring that the transition between the destination data and the salary data is smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be linked more effectively to avoid a list-like feel when describing the percentages.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'destination', 'percentage', 'accounted for', and 'ranked first'. There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'antrhropology' (repeatedly) and 'post postgrad'. While you attempt to use some specific vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited and relies on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'figures' or 'percentages' and ensure consistent accuracy in spelling, especially for key terms related to the topic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'after finish their degree' (should be 'finishing') and 'salaries was slightly lower' (subject-verb agreement error). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and formatting issues, such as the placement of the dollar sign ('100000$'). While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of gerunds after prepositions.

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

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