Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-11

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 6.5)

The given pie chart shows information about the destination of Anthropology graduates after completing their undergraduate degree from a particular university and the table gives data about their salaries after five years.

Overall, full-time work accounted for the highest proportion among the university graduates, while the smallest number of students did part-time jobs with their postgraduate studies. The government sector had the highest proportion of employees earning $100,000 or more, while private companies had the highest share in the $50,000-74,999 category.

In terms of the pie chart, over half of students went for the full-time work, while only 5% of graduates recorded for the part-time jobs with their postgraduate studies. Anthropology graduates who selected full-time work with their postgraduate studies are 8%, followed by the part-time work (15%). The proportion of unemployed students and those whose status is not known recorded at 12% and 8%.

According to the table, the government sector accounted for the highest proportion of graduates in (50%) $100,000+ salary range, compared with the 40% of freelance consultants and the 30% of private companies. In the range of $25,000-49,999, both freelance consultants and government sector each recorded at 5%, while graduates of private companies accounted for the highest proportion 10%. In terms of $50,000-74,999, both freelance consultants and government sector each had 15%. In the category of $75,000-99,999, freelance consultants had the largest share of employees (40%), compared with the 30% of government sector and 25% of private companies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses both the pie chart and the table. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the highest proportion of full-time workers and the salary distributions across sectors. The comparison between categories is clear, and the data is accurately reported. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are integrated more fluidly. For instance, when discussing the table, you could group the sectors more effectively to highlight trends rather than listing percentages sequentially, which would provide a more analytical overview of the data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the distinct data sets. Cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'According to', and 'while' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas. To improve, ensure that the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is slightly smoother, and avoid repetitive sentence structures when introducing new data points to maintain a more sophisticated flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information precisely, using terms like 'accounted for', 'proportion', and 'category'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. However, there are minor issues with collocation and phrasing, such as 'recorded for the part-time jobs' (should be 'recorded for part-time jobs') and 'recorded at 12%' (should be 'stood at 12%'). These errors do not impede communication but prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are error-free, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'over half of students went for the full-time work' (should be 'full-time work') and 'graduates of private companies accounted for the highest proportion 10%' (missing a preposition like 'at'). Punctuation is generally accurate, but some phrasing is slightly awkward. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy would help elevate the score.

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

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