Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-30

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 bar chart compares the destination of Anthropology graduates from one university and their salaries after 5 years of work.

Overall, it is evident that students in full-time work experienced a significant increase in percentage and 50% of them worked in the government sector with an income of $100,000 above.

The pie chart illustrates a significant increase of 52% individuals who worked in full-time jobs. Whereas 15% of young adults who did part-time work showed a slight decline. The ratio of those who were unemployed is considerably higher, that is 12%, than those doing an unspecified job. While a slight difference, from 5% to 8%, is noticeable between adults who did part-time work with postgraduate study, and full-time work with postgraduate study.

Income starting from $25,000 to 74,999 of freelance consultants and government sector employees showed similar result indicating a gradual rise from 5% to 15%. Furthermore, climbed steadily to 40% with a salary ranging from $75,000 to $100,000 and above of freelance consultants and 30% to 50% of government sector. Private companies remained relatively stable by minimal differences ranging from 10% to 25% and then 25% to 30%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of both the chart and the table, but the analysis is occasionally confusing. You successfully identify the growth in full-time employment and the salary distribution. However, the description of the data is sometimes inaccurate or difficult to follow, such as the claim that 52% of individuals worked in full-time jobs, which misinterprets the visual data. Furthermore, the comparison of salary ranges for freelance consultants and government employees is somewhat muddled, making it hard for the reader to grasp the specific trends. To improve, ensure that your data selection is precise and that your comparisons clearly link the figures to the categories provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction and body paragraphs focusing on different aspects of the data. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Whereas', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the progression within the second paragraph is somewhat disjointed. The transition between the employment status and the salary data is abrupt, and some sentences lack clear logical flow, which makes the relationship between the data points feel mechanical. Improving the use of referencing and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'destination', 'unspecified', 'gradual rise', and 'relatively stable'. There are some instances of slightly awkward phrasing, such as '52% individuals' instead of '52% of individuals' and 'showed similar result' instead of 'showed similar results'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. To reach a higher score, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring that your word choices are grammatically accurate in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Income starting from $25,000 to 74,999... showed similar result' (missing articles and pluralization issues) and 'climbed steadily to 40% with a salary ranging from $75,000 to $100,000 and above of freelance consultants' (awkward syntax). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, the correct use of prepositions, and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed with clear, accurate syntax.

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

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