Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-26

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 provides a percentage breakdown of the destination of Anthropology graduates from one university, while the table presents comparisons of salaries between freelance consultants, those working in the government sector, and those in private companies after 5 years of work.

Overall, full-time jobs were the most common destination among students, with only a small proportion of students who continued with their studies, and a tiny fraction who worked part-time or remained unemployed. The average annual wages of graduates after five years varied, depending on the sector they were employed in.

Those students who were working full-time constituted more than 50% of the graduates. 15% of the graduates chose part-time work, while only 12% had no jobs. On the other hand, less than one-tenth of the students opted for full-time postgraduate education. A small fraction of population considered combining postgraduate education with a part-time job.

After 5 years, the average income of all the undergraduates was different from one another. 40% of the students, who were working as consultants in free-lancing were paid around 75,000-99,999, while 40% working in the same sector were also paid more than 100,000 dollars. More than half of the government sector employees made more than one hundred thousand dollars. Most of the private company employees, in contrast, earned 50,000-74,999 dollars, accounting for more than a third of the population. Only about 5-10% of them were receiving pays in the range of 25,000-49,999 dollars in each of the departments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the data and successfully selected and reported the main features from both the pie chart and the table. The comparisons are relevant, such as noting the contrast between full-time employment and postgraduate study. However, the analysis of the table could be more precise; for instance, you mention '40% of the students, who were working as consultants in free-lancing', but the data actually shows 40% of the total graduates in that sector. Ensuring that the relationship between the data points and the categories is clearly articulated would elevate the response further.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the other hand' and 'In contrast', to signal shifts in the data. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the general destination of graduates to the specific salary breakdown. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct data sets. To reach a higher band, ensure that referencing is always precise, as some transitions between the pie chart data and the table data could be slightly more fluid to enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'percentage breakdown', 'constituted', and 'opted for' are used appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'free-lancing' (which should be 'freelance') and 'receiving pays' (which is non-standard; 'receiving salaries' or 'earning' is preferred). While you use some less common items, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated collocations related to data reporting, such as 'a significant proportion' or 'a marginal fraction', to show greater flexibility and control over the academic register.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over basic grammar, and your punctuation is generally accurate. There are occasional errors, such as 'A small fraction of population' (missing an article: 'the population') and 'were paid around 75,000-99,999' (which could be improved by adding 'dollars' or 'a salary of'). While the majority of your sentences are error-free, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Incorporating more varied subordinate clauses or passive constructions would demonstrate a wider grammatical range and improve the overall sophistication of your writing.

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