Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-05

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 6.0)

The pie chart illustrates the destination of anthropology graduates from one university who have completed their undergraduate program, while the table compares the salaries of graduates in employment after five years.

Overall, full-time employment was the most common destination for anthropology graduates which comprised the greatest share, while the combination of part-time and postgrad study had the smallest proportion, In terms of salaries, anthropologists in the government sector and as freelance consultants were most likely to earn higher salaries then in private companies.

Regarding destinations, full-time employed anthropology graduates recorded 52% of the proportion, followed by 15% of graduates working part-time. Additionally, those who remained unemployed after graduation constituted 12%, whereas those who were enrolled in full-time postgrad program represented 8%. Some graduates showed no outcome and constituted 8% of the share. In contrast, part-time workers in combination with postgrad study accounted for the least proportion at about 5%.

In term of salaries after five years, anthropologists who were employed in the government sector earned 50% salaries with more than 100,000$. In contrast, 40% of freelance consultants earned more than 100,000$. Similarly, 30% of the government employees earned 30% salaries between 75000$ and [redacted phone]$. In comparison, those who were employed by private companies earned the lowest share at about 35% salaries were earned between 50,000$ and 75,000$, while only 25% salaries earned between 75,000$ and [redacted phone]$

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview of both the pie chart and the table, and makes relevant comparisons between categories. The overview clearly highlights the main features, such as the dominance of full-time work and the salary distribution trends across sectors. However, some parts of the response are more fully developed than others. For instance, while the destinations are covered thoroughly with specific percentages, the discussion of the salary table contains minor confusion in phrasing, such as stating that government employees earned '50% salaries with more than 100,000$' rather than indicating that 50% of them earned in that bracket. These minor inaccuracies mean the response sits comfortably within the band for addressing the task while leaving room for greater precision.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The text demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information is grouped sensibly, with an introductory paragraph, an overall summary, a dedicated paragraph for the pie chart destinations, and a final paragraph focusing on the salary table. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the data, employing transition markers like 'Additionally', 'whereas', and 'In contrast'. Paragraphing is used appropriately and sufficiently to separate distinct visual elements. While referencing is generally clear, occasional mechanical linking prevents the response from achieving a higher band, yet the overall arrangement remains coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying numerical data and trends. The writer attempts less common lexical items such as 'proportion', 'constituted', and 'consultants', though there is some inaccuracy in word choice and phrasing, such as 'showed no outcome' and awkward collocation regarding salary brackets. Spelling and word choice errors, including 'postgrad program' instead of postgraduate programs, are present but do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more precise collocation and a wider variety of sophisticated vocabulary to describe statistical changes and distributions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordinate clauses such as 'while the table compares...' and 'who were employed...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including prepositional phrasing issues like 'In term of salaries' instead of 'In terms of', and awkward numerical expressions such as 'earned 50% salaries with more than 100,000$'. However, these errors rarely impede communication and the basic meaning remains clear. The control of sentence structures is characteristic of a mid-level band, featuring a combination of accurate simple sentences alongside occasional slips in complex patterns.

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

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