Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-06

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 5.5)

The pie chart illustrates the destination of Anthropolgy ungraduates from a university after graduation, while the table demonstrates the income of the graduates during the course of 5 years of work.

Overall, full-time work accounted for 52% of the destinations, while part-time work combined with post graduate study was recorded at just at 5%. In terms of salaries the government sector scored the highest percentage of individuals earning for 100,000$ or more at 50% but the other two sectors (freelancers, private companies) occupy more on the low end of earnings with private companies peaking at 35% for the $50,000-74,999 range.

Full-time work was the most popular destination, at 52%, while part time work was very low compared to it yet it was just ranked the 2nd at only 15%. Moreover the Full-time postgrad study and Unknown destinations both were at just 8% with unemployment being higher that both at 12%. Lastly part-time work with postgraduate studies accounted for th least percentage at 5%.

The goverment sector secured the highest incomes, at 50% for $100,000 and more while the freelancers and private companies at 40% and 30% respectively. In addition to that, free lancers and government sector both have identical figures of 5% and 15% for the low end salaries below 75,000. Private companies is higher than freelancers in the $50,000 to 74,999 range at 35% compared to 15% but lower for the 75,000-99,999 range by just 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover both visuals and identify several important features accurately: full-time work is the largest destination at 52%, part-time work with postgraduate study is the smallest at 5%, and government employees most often earn $100,000 or more (50%). You also make useful comparisons across salary bands. However, some details are unclear or imprecise. Calling part-time work “very low” does not convey that it is the second-largest destination, and “the other two sectors … occupy more on the low end” is too broad because the salary distributions differ. The comparison that private companies are lower than freelancers in the $75,000–99,999 band “by just 5%” is also ambiguous: the figures are 25% and 40%, a 15-percentage-point difference. Develop the overview and comparisons more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for destinations and salaries. This helps the reader follow the two visuals, and linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “Lastly,” and “In addition to that” show an effort to connect points. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes uneven, and some links do not clarify the relationship between ideas. For example, “while part time work was very low compared to it yet it was just ranked the 2nd” combines contrast and concession awkwardly. The overview also moves quickly from the destination figures to salary details without clearly grouping the main comparisons. Use clearer topic sentences and simpler links, and ensure each comparison follows logically from the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “destination,” “accounted for,” “postgraduate,” “income,” and “salary range.” These choices generally communicate the chart information, and terms such as “peaking” show an attempt to describe distributions. However, several word choices and collocations are imprecise or unnatural: a sector does not “score” a percentage, and “occupy more on the low end of earnings” is unclear. “Very low” also understates part-time work’s position as the second-largest destination. Spelling and form errors, including “Anthropolgy,” “ungraduates,” “goverment,” and “free lancers,” reduce accuracy. Aim for precise reporting verbs such as “accounted for” or “had,” and check spelling and standard forms of key terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “while” and comparisons using “compared to,” so there is some variety. Most of the information remains understandable, but some sentence structures and grammatical choices are not well controlled. For example, “while part time work was very low compared to it yet it was just ranked the 2nd” joins contrasting clauses without clear punctuation or structure. In “Full-time postgrad study and Unknown destinations both were at just 8%,” the placement of “both” is awkward, while “Private companies is higher” has a subject–verb agreement error. There are also inconsistent article and plural patterns, as in “the freelancers and private companies.” Build cleaner comparison sentences and check agreement, clause boundaries, and punctuation.

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

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