Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-07
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 graph illustrates the destination of Anthropology graduate from a university, and the table below demonstrates what are the salaries for Anthropology students after working for five years in their fields.
Overall, most of the students did full time job after the graduation, in contrast part-time job while pursuing postgraduation studies. In addition the fellows who worked for 5 years are mostly earning above 100,000 dollars. Moreover, the minimum earning wages are 25,000 to 50,000 dollars.
Looking at the graph 52% of the students did full time work, 15% which is the second highest number of students who work part-time work. A striking feature of the graph is the number of unemployed students is about 12%. two of the categories student are similar i percentages, the students which are unknown and the students studying as a full-time postgraduate. Lastly only 5% of students did part-time jobs while continuing their studies.
Furthermore, students whom did work continuously for five years are freelancers whom are earning between 25,000 up to 100,000 of dollars and most of the freelancers are earning around 100,000 dollars. In addition government sector jobs are similar to freelancer job.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 chart and the table, providing a clear overview. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, while you mention the percentages for full-time and part-time work, you do not effectively compare the categories or highlight the most significant trends in the salary table. The description of the salary data is slightly inaccurate, as you describe freelancers as earning between 25,000 and 100,000, whereas the table shows specific categories for government, private, and freelance sectors. To improve, ensure you group data logically and provide more precise comparisons between the different sectors rather than listing them individually.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'Lastly' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive. The progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother; for example, the transition between the graph data and the table data is abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, such as the phrase 'two of the categories student are similar', which lacks a clear connection to the preceding information. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear logical flow between sentences would enhance the score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the main points. You use some topic-specific terms like 'freelancers', 'government sector', and 'postgraduate'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'earning wages' (wages are earned, not 'earning wages') and 'fellows who worked' (which is too informal for an academic report). There is also some repetition of basic verbs. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure collocations are natural, such as using 'remuneration' or 'salary brackets' instead of repeating 'earning'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('students whom did work', 'freelancers whom are earning') and missing articles or incorrect pluralisation ('the number of unemployed students is about 12%', 'two of the categories student are similar'). The use of 'whom' is grammatically incorrect in these contexts; 'who' should be used as the subject of the relative clause. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of relative pronouns.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.