Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-23
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 5.5)
The pie chart illustrates the destination of Anthropology graduates ( from one university) and the table shows salaries of anthropology graduates ( after 5 years work).
Overall, the greatest percentage of full- time workers of the graduates students. The lowest percentage of post graduate workers. In contrast the part time workers had moderate percentage. And the table shows the government sector salaries will be increased as compared to the private companies.
The full-time workers of anthropology graduates recorded as highest proportion for 52% as compared to the part time workers had gradually decreased in 15%. The unemployment workers had 12%. Furthermore, not known and full-time postgraduate study followed the similar pattern in 8% and the postgraduate students had the lowest percentage in 5%.
The salaries of anthropology graduates after 5 years the government sector increased from 5% to 50%. The freelance consultants rose from 5% to 40%. And the lowest proportion had private companies salaries from 10% to 30%. Consequently, the highest proportion recorded as government sector as compared to private sector.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of both the chart and the table. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and contains inaccuracies. For instance, the statement that government salaries increased 'from 5% to 50%' misinterprets the data, which likely refers to salary brackets or proportions of graduates earning specific amounts rather than a temporal increase. The overview is present but lacks clarity, as the sentences are fragmented and do not effectively synthesize the data. While the key features are identified, the lack of precise comparison and the misinterpretation of the table data prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. The use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or misused, such as starting sentences with 'And' or 'Consequently' in ways that do not logically connect the preceding ideas. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the categories. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks the flow required for a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'greatest percentage', 'lowest percentage', and 'highest proportion' are used repeatedly without variation. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'unemployment workers' (should be 'unemployed graduates') and 'post graduate workers' (which is ambiguous). The range of vocabulary is just adequate to convey the basic information, but it lacks the precision and flexibility needed to describe data trends effectively. More sophisticated reporting verbs and comparative language are needed.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles, prepositions, and verb tense consistency. For example, 'the greatest percentage of full- time workers of the graduates students' is grammatically incomplete and confusing. Many sentences lack a clear subject or verb, such as 'The lowest percentage of post graduate workers.' These errors occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the data. Complex structures are attempted but are often inaccurate or poorly constructed, limiting the overall grammatical range.
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.