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 chart illustrates the diffrence between the wages and work of Anthropology undergraduates of a university after five years they completed their courses.
Overall, more than 50% students started their full time work and discontinued their further studies. On the other hand some starting working part time and started further studies. Some just work part time some are unemployed and for some students there are no records found. All of them are working in three diffrent sectors and getting paid accordingly.
52% of students are working full time, 15% students are working part time. 5% students are working part time as well as they started their post studies, 8% students just continued their further studies, 12% students are unemployed and there is no record found for the rest of the students.
The ratio of package students are getting from $[redacted phone]9 is 5% as freelance consultants 5% in government sector and 10% in private companies. The ratio of students getting $[redacted phone]9 are 15% in freelance consultancy, 15% in government secttor and 35% in private companies. The students getting A package of $[redacted phone]+ is 40% in freelance companies, 50% in government sector and 30% in private companies.
Overall, most students are earning $[redacted phone]+ in all the sectors.
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 the data, including the employment status and salary distribution. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, relying heavily on listing percentages rather than synthesizing the information. For instance, the report of salary brackets lacks a clear comparative narrative, and the final summary statement is inaccurate based on the provided data (it claims most earn $100,000+, which is not supported by the sum of the percentages in the table). The response would benefit from a more analytical approach that highlights significant trends and contrasts rather than just transcribing figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on different aspects of the data. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and mechanical (e.g., starting multiple sentences with 'The ratio of...'). While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the transition between the employment data and the salary data could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow is hindered by the simplistic sentence structure and limited variety in linking words.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. There are several spelling errors, such as 'diffrence' instead of 'difference', 'secttor' instead of 'sector', and 'diffrent' instead of 'different'. The student relies on basic terminology like 'working' and 'getting paid'. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data reporting, such as 'proportion', 'remuneration', 'fluctuated', or 'accounted for'. The current range is sufficient to convey the message but does not demonstrate the flexibility required for higher scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'more than 50% students' (should be '50% of students'), 'some starting working' (should be 'some started working'), and 'The students getting A package' (should be 'The students receiving a salary package'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is often repetitive. The errors do not typically impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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