Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-03
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 destination of anthropology graduates from one university did after finishing their undergraduate degree course and the table views the salaries of the anthropology graduates after 5 years' work.
Overall, more than half choose full time job whereas, least at part time job and postgrad study. Salaries of anthropology graduates in government sector was highest to half of graduates and low at private companies.
After graduation, almost more than half of students i.e. 52% joined full time jobs whereas 8% are full time postgrad study and not known graduates and 15% are at parttime work in contrast, 12% are unemployed.
Salaries of anthropology graduates after 5 years' work, In freelance consultants and government sector 80% have highest salaries 75000 to [redacted phone] plus dollars and 20% have below 75000 dollars salaries whereas, 55% have 75000 to [redacted phone] plus dollars salaries and 45% have less than 75000 dollars to 25000 dollars.
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 both the pie chart and the table. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main trends are identified, the reporting of data is occasionally inaccurate or confusing, such as the description of salary ranges in the final paragraph, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison. The summary of the pie chart is generally accurate, but the interpretation of the table data is muddled, failing to clearly highlight the key differences between the sectors. To improve, focus on grouping data more logically and ensuring that the figures reported directly correspond to the visual information provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader navigate the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or awkward, such as 'In contrast, 12% are unemployed' or the abrupt transition into the salary section. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by grammatical errors, making the flow feel disjointed. While there is a basic attempt at logical sequencing, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive sentence structures limit the overall coherence. Improving the variety of transition signals would help the information flow more naturally between the two data sets.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'the table views the salaries' (should be 'shows' or 'presents') and 'not known graduates'. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with precise terminology for data reporting. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of variety and the occasional misuse of words prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Incorporating more precise academic vocabulary related to trends and data comparison would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Salaries... was highest'), article usage, and prepositional phrases. Some sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'In freelance consultants and government sector 80% have highest salaries', which lacks a clear subject and verb structure. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. To improve, the student should focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and proofreading for common grammatical slips.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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