Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 information regarding the career of the anthropology graduates from a university, whereas the table represents the salaries of the working anthropologists after five years.

Overall, most anthropologist garduates work full time and the least amount of graduates pursue postgraduation study and work part time.Salary is categorized into four groups and the graduates recieve it accordingly.

Anthropology garduates choose different destination after completing their education.Large number of graduates work full-time, accounts for 52% of graduates.It is followed by part-time workers, at 15%. Some are unemployed and information about few is unknown, at 12% and 8% respectively.Some have pursued full-time postgraduate study, accounts for 8%. At last, garduates chooses the least to work part-time along with postgraduate study, accounts for 5%. The portion of graduates who studies full-time as a postgraduate and the unknown data both accounts for 8% of garduates. Compared to other,full-time athropologist accounts for more than half percent of graduates.

Salaries of anthropology graduates are categoried in four parts. The graduates who work as freelance consultant , 5% of them receives $25,000-49,999 as salary, 15% of them receives $50,000-74,999, 40% receives $75,000-99,999 and 40% receives $100,000 and more. Government Anthropologists , 5% of them receives $25,000-49,999 as salary, 15% of them receives $50,000-74,999, 30% receives $75,000-99,999 and 50% receives $100,000 and more.Futhermore, anthropologist who works in a private company, 10% of them receives $25,000-49,999 as salary, 35% of them receives $50,000-74,999, 25% receives $75,000-99,999 and 30% receives $100,000 and more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover both the graduate destinations and the salary table, and most figures are reported accurately. The overview correctly identifies full-time work as the largest destination and notes that the salary data are divided into four bands. However, the overview does not capture the table’s main comparisons—for example, government employees have the highest share in the top salary band, while private-company employees are most concentrated in the $50,000–74,999 band. The claim that the least number “pursue postgraduation study and work part time” is imprecise: this is a combined destination, distinct from full-time postgraduate study. There is also repetition of the 8% figures and an inaccurate phrase, “more than half percent,” where the intended point is that full-time work exceeds half of graduates. Select and compare the key features more clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph on destinations, and one on salaries. This helps the reader locate the two sets of information. However, progression within the destination paragraph is weakened by repetition: the 8% figures are reported twice, and the final sentence repeats that full-time work accounts for more than half. Some linking is mechanical, as in “It is followed by” and “At last,” while several ideas run together without adequate spacing after full stops. The salary paragraph lists each employment type in sequence but does not draw out comparisons between them, so the information feels more like a catalogue than a connected summary. Group related figures and use clear comparisons to create a stronger progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “graduates,” “unemployed,” “postgraduate study,” “freelance consultant,” and “salary,” so the main information is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. “The least amount of graduates” is not a natural way to describe a proportion, and “salary is categorized … and the graduates receive it accordingly” is vague. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “garduates,” “recieve,” “Futhermore,” “categoried,” and “athropologist.” Use precise terms such as “proportion,” “share,” and “salary band,” and check spelling carefully. More varied language for comparing the categories would improve precision without making the report unnecessarily complex.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast in the opening sentence and clauses beginning “whereas” and “who work.” However, errors in agreement, sentence construction, and punctuation occur often enough to make some passages awkward. For example, “Large number of graduates work full-time, accounts for 52%” combines a noun phrase and a verb incorrectly; write “Full-time work accounts for 52%.” In “Some have pursued full-time postgraduate study, accounts for 8%,” the second clause also lacks a suitable subject. Agreement errors recur in “graduates chooses” and “40% receives.” Several sentences are joined or punctuated poorly, particularly where a full stop is followed immediately by the next sentence. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and use shorter, complete sentences when listing data.

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