Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-31
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 six different destinations of anthropology graduates after finishing university, while the tabular chart compares the salaries they get after five years of work in three different occupations.
Overall, over half of the graduates managed to get a proper full-time job, whereas those who did part-time work and postgraduate study recorded the least figure. Within those who got jobs, freelance consultants and government sector were most likely to get higher salaries, while private company workers had a relatively balanced figures in all amounts.
In terms of pie chart, 52 of graduates got full-time work after graduating, while only 5% of them got a part-time job and postgraduate study. Those who were not known and did full-time postgraduate study accounted exactly for 8%. 15% of them proceeded to work part-time, while those who satyed unemployed stood at 12%.
5% of freelance consultants and government sector employees earned $25,000-49,999 and 15% of them made $50,000-74,999. Salaries of freelance consultants who earned $75,000-99,999 and $100,000+ were at exactly 40%, while half of government sector employees earned $100,000 and 30% of total earned $75,000-99,999.
Employees who worked in private companies had the largest figure in $50,000-74,999 at 35%, while the smallest figure was observed in $25,000-49,999. In terms of $75,000-99,999 and $100,000+, accounted for 25% and 30% respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting relevant data points. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For example, you state that 5% of graduates got a part-time job and postgraduate study, whereas the chart shows 15% for part-time work and 8% for full-time postgraduate study. Additionally, the salary data interpretation is confusing; you mention '5% of freelance consultants and government sector employees' earned a specific range, but the table provides percentages for each category separately. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference the data points with the visual aids to avoid misrepresenting the statistics.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, moving from an overview to specific details. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'In terms of', and 'while', which help guide the reader. However, the transition between the pie chart analysis and the table analysis is somewhat abrupt. Furthermore, some referencing is unclear, such as the phrase 'those who were not known and did full-time postgraduate study accounted exactly for 8%'. It is unclear if these are two separate groups or one. Improving the clarity of your referencing and ensuring smoother transitions between data sets would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'destinations', 'freelance consultants', and 'undergraduate degree'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'recorded the least figure' (should be 'lowest figures') and 'balanced figures in all amounts'. The use of 'figure' is repetitive throughout the text. To reach a higher band, try to vary your vocabulary by using synonyms like 'proportion', 'percentage', or 'segment' instead of repeating 'figure', and focus on more precise collocations when describing statistical trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'private company workers had a relatively balanced figures' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'In terms of pie chart' (missing article). Additionally, 'while those who satyed unemployed stood at 12%' contains a spelling error. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for articles, subject-verb agreement, and spelling will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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