Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-24

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 5.0)

The pie chart illustrates the number of Anthropology graduates from one university after completing their undergraduate degree, and there is a table that provides the salary records of the anthropologists in employment after five years.

Overall, it illustrates that more than half go for full-time employment, whereas some graduates go for unemployment. But some graduates go for postgraduate studies in addition to employment, or just for full-time postgraduate studies; some are still unaware of their future.

In the type of employment Government sector provides more earnings than Freelance consultants, and finally, Private companies.

The pie chart shows that more than half of Anthropology graduates go for Full-time work after their graduation, whereas the proportion is about 52%. After that significant number of graduates go for both postgraduate and employment, which is about 15%, then the pie chart represents that about 12% of graduates become unemployed after graduation; however, there are also mutual percentages of 8%, where some go for full-time postgraduate studies, in addition to some students who do both postgraduates and employment, whereas there are also about 5% of graduates who still unknown what to do.

The table illustrates information about the 5-year employment salaries of different types of employment. In which Government sector does a salary provide 100,00$+ which is about 50%, whereas in regard to 75,000 to 99,999, Freelance consultants provide more at the proportion of 40%, but in both salary points of 25,000 to 49,999, and 50,000 to 79,999, Private companies provide more by the proportion of 10%, and 35%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover both the pie chart and the table, providing an overview and selecting some key data points. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the data. For instance, the student states that part-time work and post-grad study is 15%, whereas the chart shows 5% for that category and 15% for part-time work alone. Additionally, the description of the table salaries is confused and contains mathematical or comparative errors (e.g., claiming Private companies provide more by 10% and 35%). The overview is also a bit simplistic and disjointed. Overall, the task is only partially addressed due to data misreadings and a lack of clear, well-supported comparative analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical flow and paragraphing are erratic. The second paragraph (overview) is extremely brief and fragmented, while the main body mixes details confusingly. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or repetitively (e.g., 'whereas', 'after that', 'then', 'however'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the exact relationships between the data points. Progression throughout the response is weak, resulting in a disjointed structure that struggles to maintain clear cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'proportion', 'undergraduate degree', 'employment', and 'unemployed'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'go for unemployment' instead of 'remain unemployed', and 'still unknown what to do' instead of 'unknown status' or 'not known'. Less common lexical items are attempted, but errors in collocation and phrasing occasionally impede smooth communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but attempts at complex sentences frequently lead to structural awkwardness and grammatical errors. Examples include 'In which Government sector does a salary provide 100,00$+ which is about 50%', which is ungrammatical and difficult to parse. Run-on sentences and punctuation issues are common, such as comma splices ('...after their graduation, whereas the proportion is about 52%. After that significant number...'). Frequent errors in prepositions, verb forms, and clause structure cause some difficulty for the reader.

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