Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-12

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 the destinations of Anthropology graduates of a particular university after completing their undergraduate degree and the table gives information about their earnings after five years.

Overall, full-time work had the highest proportion of graduates, while smallest proportion of university graduates worked part-time with their postgraduate study. After five years, the government sector had the highest percentage of graduates earning $100,000 or more, followed by freelance consultants, while private companies had the highest proportion of graduates earning $50,000-74,999.

According to the pie chart, a 52% of graduates worked full-time, while only 15% worked part-time. The proportion of graduates who combined part-time work with their postgraduate studies were only 5%, whereas 8% graduates worked full-time with their postgraduate studies. The proportion of unemployed graduates and those whose status is not known recorded at 12% and 8%.

According to the table, government sector had the highest proportion of employees (50%) in $100,000 or more category, compared with 40 % of freelance consultants and 30 % of private companies. In $25,000-49,999 range, private companies had the highest percentage of graduates (10%), while the both the government sector and freelance consultants each recorded at 5%. In $50,000-74,999 category, private companies accounted for the largest share (35%), compared with government sector and freelance consultant, both at 15%. Freelance consultants had the highest proportion of graduates in $ 75,000-99,999 salary range (40%), while the government sector was at 30% and private companies were at 25%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of both the pie chart and the table. An effective overview is provided, highlighting key trends such as the dominance of full-time work and the salary distributions across different sectors. Data is appropriately selected and compared, as seen when the response notes that 'the government sector had the highest percentage of graduates earning $100,000 or more, followed by freelance consultants.' Figures are accurately cited from the visual prompts without major omissions, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 7 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear overall progression. An introductory paragraph is followed by a well-defined overview, and subsequent body paragraphs separately detail the pie chart and the table. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Overall,' 'According to the pie chart,' and 'compared with,' although referencing and linking can occasionally feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct datasets, ensuring the reader can follow the comparisons easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for task 1, successfully employing terms like 'proportion,' 'destination,' 'category,' and 'freelance consultants.' There are occasional minor slip-ups or slightly awkward phrasing, such as 'smallest proportion of university graduates worked part-time with their postgraduate study' (where 'alongside' or 'combined with' might be more natural) and missing articles like 'a 52% of graduates.' However, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended statistical information clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses effectively (e.g., 'while the government sector was at 30% and private companies were at 25%'). While there are some minor grammatical errors—such as 'while 8% graduates worked' (missing 'of') and 'the both the government sector' (unnecessary article)—these errors do not impede communication. The majority of sentences are clear and demonstrate a good level of control over basic structures and comparative forms.

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

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