Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-25
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 what different Anthropology graduates from a particular university did after finishing their bachelors degree. While the table provides the information about the salaries received by them in different field after working for 5 years.
Overall, it can be seen that majority of the undergraduates chose to work full-time whereas least decided to study postgraduation while working part time. If we look closely to the salaries, the grduates who worked in the government sector received higher salaries.
Full-time work was the major destination for 52% of the graduates. 15% graduates chose to work part-time,12% remain unemployed and 8% are not known what they are actually doing. While other 8% students are enrolled into a full-time postgrduated study and only 5% of them worked part-time along with the higher studies.
Coming to salaries, individuals received different salaries after working for 5 years in freelance consultants, Governement sector, and private companies. The salary remained same(5% and 15%) for the people working as freelance consultants and government sector that is around $25000 to $74999
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview and identifies key features. However, the analysis of the table is problematic. You state that the salary remained the same for freelance consultants and the government sector, but the table shows distinct ranges and different percentages for these categories. Furthermore, the data interpretation is slightly inaccurate; for example, you mention 12% remain unemployed, but the chart shows 12% are 'unemployed'. The summary of the table data is incomplete as it fails to compare the salary ranges effectively across all categories. To improve, ensure that data points are transcribed accurately and that comparisons are logically supported by the provided figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'While', 'Overall', and 'Coming to' are used to guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as the transition between the pie chart and the table. Paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within the final paragraph is weak because the data points are not clearly linked to the specific salary categories, making the comparison difficult to follow. More varied linking words would improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'undergraduates', 'postgraduation', and 'freelance consultants'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'grduates' and 'postgrduated', which detract from the overall quality. Additionally, some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'major destination' to describe employment status. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. Focusing on accurate spelling and more natural collocations would significantly enhance your lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'While the table provides the information about the salaries received by them in different field' (missing pluralization) and 'least decided to study' (should be 'the least'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex structures and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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