Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

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 the 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, 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 were at 12% and 8%.

According to the table, the government sector had the highest proportion of employees (50%) in the $100,000 or more category, compared with 40 % of freelance consultants and 30 % of private companies. In the $25,000-49,999 range, private companies had the highest percentage of graduates (10%), while both the government sector and freelance consultants each recorded at 5%. In the $50,000-74,999 category, private companies accounted for the largest share (35%), compared with the government sector and freelance consultant, both at 15%. Freelance consultants had the highest proportion of graduates in the $ 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 7.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt by summarizing both the pie chart and the table. The overview is clear and highlights the main features effectively, such as full-time work being the most common destination and the distribution of salaries across different sectors. Key data points are accurately reported, including percentages for full-time work (52%) and government sector earnings in the highest bracket (50%). Comparisons are made where relevant, such as contrasting the proportions of graduates in various salary ranges among the three sectors. The ideas are well-selected and presented without unnecessary detail, earning a solid band 8.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow. Ideas are structured well, with an introductory paragraph, an overall summary paragraph, and separate body paragraphs dedicated to the pie chart and the table respectively. Cohesive devices are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'According to the pie chart', and 'In the $50,000-74,999 category'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. Referencing is generally clear, contributing to a smooth progression of information throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate and appropriate for an academic task, with accurate reporting verbs and terms such as 'proportion', 'category', 'range', and 'sector'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'freelance consultants', 'unemployed', and 'postgraduate studies'. Word choice and collocations are mostly natural, though slightly more sophisticated synonyms could enhance the variety. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout, ensuring that communication is never hindered.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses and comparative constructions (e.g., 'while the smallest proportion of university graduates worked part-time with their postgraduate study'). The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate. There is a minor slip with singular/plural agreement in '8% graduates', but overall control of grammar and punctuation is strong. Complex structures are generally handled well without causing confusion for the reader.

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