Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-02

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 chart and table illustrates the destination and salaries of anthropologists graduates from one university after finished the degree and five years in work.

Overall, in chart it is clear that full time work is the highest proportions among other destination, and in table it shows the three modes of employment.

In the chart, looking first at full-time work, it is the highest percentage by 52, followed by part time work in 15 percent. The lowest among them is part time work plus postgrad study which is 5 percent. But, full time postgrad study and not known was equal in 8 percentage.

In the table, Government sector is the most demanded and earned sector where their salaries was highest after 5 years work where 100,00 plus dollars was 50 percent, followed by freelance consultants was about 40 percent. The other remain is the lowest employment among three of them which was about 30 percent. But, private companies have more money than other two around 50,000 to 74,000 dollar which was 35 percent.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing both the chart and the table. You have identified the main features, such as the dominance of full-time work and the salary distribution in the government sector. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, integrated overview. While you mention the highest and lowest categories, the comparisons are occasionally confusing, particularly in the table section where the description of salary brackets is difficult to follow. To improve, ensure that your overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing data points, and strive for greater precision when describing the relationships between the different categories.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and occasionally mechanical (e.g., 'In the chart', 'In the table'). There are instances where the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'The other remain is the lowest employment', which makes it difficult to understand which category is being referenced. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your referencing (e.g., 'the former', 'the latter', 'this group') is clear and precise to improve the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, such as 'proportions', 'employment', and 'freelance consultants'. However, there are several inaccuracies in word choice and collocation that limit the precision of your report. For example, 'the most demanded and earned sector' is not standard English, and 'the other remain' is grammatically incorrect. Additionally, there is some repetition of basic terms. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'remuneration', and pay closer attention to the correct usage of nouns and adjectives in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('The chart and table illustrates'), incorrect verb forms ('after finished'), and awkward sentence construction ('where their salaries was highest'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the misuse of articles and prepositions is noticeable throughout. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your verb tenses are consistent when describing data. Proofreading for common errors like 'was' vs 'were' and ensuring clear sentence boundaries will significantly enhance your score.

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

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