Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

The pie chart illustrates the destinations of Anthropology graduates from one particular university after completing their undergraduate degree, while the table provides information about the salaries earned by those who were employed after five years, according to three different employment sectors.

Overall, full-time employment was by far the most common destination immediately after graduation. After five years, the government sector had the highest proportion of graduates earning $100,000 or more, whereas freelance consultants recorded the largest share in the lowest salary band. It is also notable that private-sector employees were more concentrated in the middle-income ranges.

According to the pie chart, 52% of Anthropology graduates entered full-time employment, making this the dominant outcome. A further 15% worked part-time, while 8% combined part-time employment with postgraduate study. Meanwhile, 8% pursued postgraduate studies on a full-time basis. The remaining graduates were either unemployed (12%) or had an unknown destination (8%).

Turning to salaries after five years, government employees were the most likely to reach the highest income bracket, with 50% earning $100,000 or more. This was followed by freelance consultants at 40%, while the corresponding figure for private-company employees was 30%. At the other end of the scale, only 5% of both government employees and freelance consultants earned between $25,000 and $49,999, compared with 10% of those working for private companies. In the $50,000–$74,999 bracket, private-sector workers led at 35%, while both freelancers and government employees stood at 15%. Finally, 30% of government workers earned $75,000–$99,999, compared with 25% of private employees and 15% of freelancers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have fully addressed all parts of the task by summarizing the main features of both the pie chart and the table. Your overview is clear and highlights the most significant trends, such as the dominance of full-time employment and the salary disparities across sectors. You have effectively selected relevant data points to support your descriptions, such as the 52% figure for full-time work and the specific salary brackets for government employees. The comparison between the three employment sectors is well-integrated, demonstrating a strong ability to synthesize information from multiple sources. No key information was omitted, and the data is presented accurately throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'meanwhile', 'turning to', and 'at the other end of the scale', which guide the reader smoothly through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis of the two different data sets. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, and the flow between sentences is natural and unobtrusive. The use of referencing is precise, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the comparisons being made between the different employment sectors and salary brackets.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary, which is used with high precision. Phrases such as 'dominant outcome', 'income bracket', and 'corresponding figure' show a strong command of academic register. The vocabulary is not only accurate but also varied, avoiding unnecessary repetition. You have successfully used less common lexical items to describe trends and data comparisons, which contributes to the overall clarity and professional tone of the report. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is entirely appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 1 response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You have successfully employed complex sentence forms, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while the table provides...', 'whereas freelance consultants recorded...') and participial phrases, without any loss of clarity. Punctuation is used correctly to manage sentence structure, and there are no grammatical errors present. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text. The writing is error-free, demonstrating a high level of grammatical competence that is consistent with the highest band descriptors.

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