Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The presented pie chart explains what Anthropology graduates from one university did after finishing undergraduate degree course; Full-time work, Full-time postgrad study, Part-time work, Unemployed, Part-time + postgrad study, and Not known. Meanwhile, the given table explains the salaries of the anthropologists in work after five years; Freelance consultants, Government sector, and Private companies.

First, the majority of graduates (52%) moved into full-time work immediately after graduating, making it by far the most common outcome. Moreoever, the remaining graduates were spread across several smaller categories: 15% took part-time work, 12% were unemployed, 8% pursued full-time postgraduate study, 8% had outcomes that were not known, and the smallest group, 5%, combined part-time work with postgraduate study.

Turning to the salary table, clear differences emerge between the three employment sectors after five years. Graduates working in the government sector appear to be the most financially successful, with half earning $100,000 or more and 80% earning at least $75,000. Additionally, Freelance consultants show a similarly strong outcome, with an identical 80% earning $75,000 or above, split evenly between the two highest brackets. By contrast, graduates employed in private companies were considerably more likely to remain in the lower salary ranges, with 45% earning under $75,000, including 10% still in the lowest bracket of $25,000–49,999.

Overall, the data suggests that while most anthropology graduates enter full-time employment relatively quickly, those in government and freelance work tend to see stronger long-term salary growth compared to their counterparts in private companies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response covers all parts of the task effectively, providing a comprehensive summary of the pie chart and the table. The main features are clearly identified, such as the majority entering full-time work and the salary distribution across the three sectors after five years. Key comparisons are made where relevant, such as noting that government sector and freelance workers tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in private companies. The data is accurately reported without any major omissions or misinterpretations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-organized with a clear logical progression from the overview of graduate destinations to the detailed salary breakdown. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the visual data. Cohesive devices are managed well, using transition phrases such as 'First', 'Moreoever', 'Turning to the salary table', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader smoothly through the text without mechanical overuse.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary items such as 'financial successful', 'outcomes', 'pursued', and 'brackets' are used accurately. There is effective use of functional language for reporting data and making comparisons. Only a minor spelling slip occurs with 'Moreoever' (instead of 'Moreover'), but this does not impede communication in any way.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The text displays a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, featuring effective subordination and participial clauses like 'graduating, making it by far the most common outcome' and 'Graduating working in the government sector appear to be...'. Punctuation is controlled and accurate throughout, supporting the clarity of the report.

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