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, 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 earnings after five years, postgraduates earned more initially from private companies, but in the end, the government sector made the largest percentage of salaries for workers after 5 years of work experience.

In detail, 52% of graduates worked full-time, which is about half of the proportion. A further group of unemployed students consisted of 12%, and one-fifth made for part-time work, while students of unknown destinations 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 the 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 surged first to 35%, then dropped to 25%, before rising again at 30% ($100,000+).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the pie chart and the table. You have identified the main features, such as the dominance of full-time work and the salary trends. However, the analysis of the table is problematic. You have misinterpreted the data in the second paragraph of the analysis, specifically regarding the salary ranges and percentages. For example, stating that salaries 'surged to 40%' or 'dropped to 25%' is not supported by the provided data, which lists salary brackets rather than percentage growth. This inaccuracy in reporting data significantly impacts the task achievement score, as the information provided is factually incorrect based on the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'In detail', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas within the final paragraph is confusing due to the inaccurate data interpretation. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical flow is hindered by the factual errors mentioned in the task achievement section. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two distinct data sets.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'employment destination', 'proportion', 'freelance consultants', and 'subsequently surged'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'made for part-time work' (which is slightly unnatural) and 'lowest in all' (which should be 'lowest of all'). While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, the inaccuracies in data reporting make the lexical choices seem less precise. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the opening complex sentence and the use of relative clauses. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'full-time work was the highest proportion among all' (should be 'represented the highest proportion') and 'shared salaries each to about' (which is awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally handled well, and errors do not impede communication. However, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and more natural prepositional usage would improve your accuracy.

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

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