Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

This table explains in a nutshell that how much Anthropology students are earning. But this chart is a tip of the iceberg. And this chart shows a double edged sword. In which we can clearly see how much students are earning . In a chart we can see more than half of total are getting the ball rolling. But few of them are continuing there studies for bright future.This chart also shows there are few un-employed and also about 12 % are doing part time work . Once in a moon i can see in a chart few are doing both managing there studies with part time work.

While in a table i can see salaries of graduate safter 5 years few of them must be over the moon who are earning more than [redacted phone]$ while there are few who are just earning about basic pay line. And all of them are working in three type of job.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to adequately address the task. It lacks a clear overview and fails to report the main features of the data provided in the chart and table. Instead of objective analysis, the text uses informal, idiomatic language ('tip of the iceberg', 'double edged sword', 'getting the ball rolling') which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. Furthermore, the response does not accurately describe the data; it makes vague references to 'some' or 'few' without citing specific figures or making meaningful comparisons between the categories. The information is presented in a disjointed manner, failing to summarize the key trends effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response is poorly organized. While there are paragraph breaks, the progression of ideas is unclear and lacks logical flow. The use of cohesive devices is largely absent or misused, leading to a disjointed reading experience. The sentences do not connect logically to one another, and the overall structure does not follow the standard format required for a data report. Referencing is often vague, making it difficult for the reader to follow the intended meaning or identify which part of the data is being discussed.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is highly informal and relies heavily on idioms that are unsuitable for an academic context. Phrases such as 'once in a moon', 'over the moon', and 'getting the ball rolling' are used incorrectly or inappropriately for the task. There is a lack of precise, academic vocabulary required to describe data, such as 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', 'proportion', or 'remuneration'. The range is very limited, and the misuse of idiomatic expressions significantly hinders the professional tone required for this task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('there are few un-employed'), incorrect preposition usage, and spelling errors ('graduates safter', 'there studies'). The sentence structures are repetitive and lack the complexity expected at higher bands. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly regarding the placement of commas and the capitalization of sentences. The control of grammar is weak, and the errors are pervasive throughout the text.

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

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