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 given chart illustrates the number of graduates who passed out from one university and what professions they acquired with their estimated salaries.
The chart shows around 52% of the students preferred working full-time and decided to not to continue their studies any further, around 15% of the total strength worked part-time. The students who continued their postgrad study with part-time work were around 5% only, and 8% of the students fully focused on their postgrad studies. While 12-8% of the students remained unemployed or some of the were unknown.
Anthropology graduates who worked as Freelance consultants or worked in Government sector around 50-40% of them secured $100,000 annually after 5 years of work, around 40-30% of the graduates stayed inn $75,000-$99,000 bracket. The ones who worked in private sectors were the least payed around 30% of the graduates reached $100,000 annual income after 5 years.
The conclusion is that most students prefer working after their graduation and the students who secured strong jobs stayed more secure rather than working in private companies .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart and table, but the analysis is inconsistent. While you identify the primary employment status (full-time work), the description of the salary data is inaccurate. For example, you state that '50-40% of them secured $100,000', but the data shows these figures represent the proportion of graduates in specific sectors reaching that salary bracket. Furthermore, the inclusion of a 'conclusion' is unnecessary for an Academic Task 1, as this task requires an objective summary rather than a personal opinion or summary of findings. To improve, focus on accurately reporting the data points and ensuring the distinction between the two charts is clear.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. Phrases like 'The chart shows' and 'The ones who' are used frequently. The transition between the first chart (employment status) and the second (salaries) is abrupt. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data comparison.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of imprecise word choice and spelling errors. For example, 'passed out' is an informal idiom not suitable for academic writing; 'graduated' would be more appropriate. 'Least payed' contains a spelling error ('paid') and 'stayed inn' is also incorrect. Additionally, the phrasing 'total strength' is not standard in this context. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary related to statistics and trends, such as 'proportion', 'majority', and 'remuneration'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity. For instance, 'decided to not to continue' is redundant and grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'stayed inn $75,000-$99,000 bracket'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure in the second paragraph is somewhat fragmented. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like double negatives and incorrect prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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