Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The chart illustrates information about the work done by Anthropology graduates after five years of graduating from the university.
Overall, mostly graduates get a full-time job while some are doing postgraduate study with a part-time job. However the number of students who are doing further study is very small.
About half of the graduates are doing a full-time job and 15 percent just have a part-time job. 12 percent of students are unemployed which means they did not get any job. Only 8 percent of people further continue their studies and 5 percent also have a part-time job. The rest of the Anthropology graduates are not known what they are doing.
The kinds of employment include freelance consultants, government sectors and private companies. Among freelance consultants, 40 percent of people are getting $100,000 or more and another 40 percent are getting between $75,000 and $99,000. In the government sector, half of the workers are getting $100,000 or more. This shows that government workers have a good level of salary.
On the other hand, in the private sector, only 30 percent of people are getting $100,000 or more. This means that private company workers have lower salaries as compared to the other sectors. Overall, freelance consultants and government workers have a higher percentage of people getting $100,000 or more.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task, including both the chart and the table. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the high percentage of full-time employment and the salary comparisons across sectors. However, the analysis is somewhat descriptive rather than analytical. For example, you list percentages without always making clear comparisons between the categories. To reach a higher band, ensure you synthesize the data more effectively, such as highlighting that the government sector has the highest proportion of top earners compared to the private sector. The 'unknown' category is mentioned, which is good, but the overall summary could be more concise and focused on the most significant trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the employment status from the salary data. You use some cohesive devices like 'However', 'On the other hand', and 'Overall', which help the flow. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For instance, the transition between the employment status paragraph and the salary paragraph is abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'freelance consultants', 'government sectors', and 'undergraduate degree'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'getting $100,000' are used repeatedly; using synonyms like 'earning', 'receiving', or 'commanding a salary of' would demonstrate more flexibility. There are also minor issues with word choice, such as 'mostly graduates' (should be 'most graduates') and 'further continue their studies' (which is redundant). Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise academic collocations would help elevate your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For example, 'after five years of graduating from the university' is slightly awkward; 'five years after graduation' would be more natural. You also have issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'the number of students who are doing further study is very small' (correct, but 'the rest of the Anthropology graduates are not known what they are doing' is grammatically incorrect). Increasing the use of error-free complex sentences and refining your control over prepositions and articles will improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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