Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-17

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 pie chart illustrates what Anthropology graduates from one university did after completing their undergraduate degree, while the table shows the salaries they earned after five years of employment.

Overall, full-time work was the most common destination for graduates, whereas working part-time while studying for a postgraduate qualification was the least common. In terms of salaries, government employees had the highest proportion earning $100,000 or more, while private company employees were more likely to earn between $50,000 and $74,999.

Looking at the pie chart in more detail, 52% of graduates entered full-time employment, making this by far the largest group. A further 15% worked part-time, while 12% were unemployed. Meanwhile, 8% continued with full-time postgraduate study and another 8% had an unknown destination. Only 5% combined part-time work with postgraduate study.

Regarding salaries after five years, 40% of freelance consultants earned $75,000–99,999, and the same percentage earned $100,000 or more. The figures for government employees were 30% and 50% respectively. In comparison, private companies had lower figures in these two categories, at 25% and 30%. At the lower end, 5% of both freelance consultants and government employees earned $25,000–49,999, compared with 10% of those working for private companies. Finally, 35% of private-sector employees earned $50,000–74,999, compared with 15% in the other two sectorses.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The candidate successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of both the pie chart and the table. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, correctly identifying full-time work as the most common destination and part-time work combined with study as the least, while also highlighting key salary trends. Specific data points are accurately cited throughout the response, such as 52% entering full-time employment and 50% of government sector employees earning $100,000 or more. Comparisons between sectors in the table are well made, demonstrating a clear understanding of the visual data without significant omissions or inaccuracies.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The text is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introduction and overview, moves into detailed breakdown of the pie chart, and concludes with a thorough analysis of the salary table. Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally, such as 'In terms of salaries', 'Looking at the pie chart in more detail', and 'Regarding salaries after five years'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the visual data. Referencing is clear throughout, making the response very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary used is appropriate and varied, showing a good range of functional language for describing statistical data. The writer successfully employs less common lexical items and phrases such as 'proportion', 'freelance consultants', 'government sector', and 'private-sector employees'. Word choices are generally accurate and natural, though there is a minor typographical error near the end ('sectorses'). Overall, the lexical range is more than sufficient to convey precise meanings and comparisons with flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a wide range of sentence structures, utilizing both simple and complex forms effectively. Complex clauses are integrated smoothly, as seen in 'The pie chart illustrates what Anthropology graduates from one university did after completing their undergraduate degree, while the table shows...' The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled well. Grammatical control is strong throughout, with only minor lapses that do not impede communication in any way.

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

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