Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-08

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 6.0)

The pie chart compares the employment destination of Anthropology students in six categories after completing their university degree course from a university, while the table illustrates the salaries of graduates in three types of employment after 5 years of work.

Overall, full-time work was the highest proportion among all, and part-time work was the second largest in number or had unknown destinations. In terms of earning after five years, postgraduates earned more initially from private companies, but in the end, government sector made the highest ratio of salaries for workers later 5 years of work experience.

In detail, 52% of graduates worked full-time, which is about half of the proportion. A further unemployed students consisted of 12%, and one-fifth made for part-time work, while not known students and full-time postgrad study accounted for 8% each, respectively. Lastly, part-time work and postgrad study were the lowest in all for about 5% only.

However, freelance consultants and government sector shared salaries each to about $25,000-49,000 (5%) and $75,000-74,999 (15%). Salaries were significantly increased to about 40%, which was about one hundred thousand dollars in freelance consultants, and then considerably rose to first 30%, and then 50%. By contrast, salaries in private firms were generally lower, but then subsequently increased first to 35%, then dropped to 25%, before rising again at 30%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task, including the pie chart and the table. However, the analysis of the table data is problematic. The student misinterprets the salary figures, describing them as percentages (e.g., '40%... which was about one hundred thousand dollars') rather than salary brackets. This leads to a confusing and inaccurate report of the main features. While the overview is present, the misinterpretation of the data significantly impacts the accuracy of the information reported. To improve, ensure that the units of measurement (dollars vs. percentages) are correctly identified and clearly distinguished in the text.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the overview to the specific details. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In detail,' 'However,' and 'By contrast,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing within the second paragraph is occasionally unclear due to the data misinterpretation. The paragraphing is appropriate for an academic report, and the overall structure is coherent, even if the content within the paragraphs lacks precision regarding the data provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive language such as 'employment destination,' 'proportion,' and 'significantly increased.' However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward phrasing, such as 'made the highest ratio of salaries' and 'not known students.' Some of these errors, combined with the confusion between percentages and dollar amounts, hinder the clarity of the report. A more precise use of vocabulary related to data trends and statistical reporting would elevate the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some error-free sentences, there are frequent grammatical slips, such as 'one-fifth made for part-time work' and 'salaries... shared salaries each to about $25,000-49,000.' The use of 'respectively' is also misused in the context of the list provided. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction occasionally feels forced. The errors do not completely impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band score.

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

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