Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-12
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 4.0)
The chart below presents what anthropology graduates from one university did after completing their undergraduate degrees. The table demonstrates the salaries of the anthropologists after five years of work. Overall, the first chart shows the employment destinations of anthropology graduates. Most of the graduates are doing full-time work while the destinationsof some graduates were unknown. The second chart shows the salaries of Anthropology graduates.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0
The opening accurately identifies both visuals, and the overview correctly notes that full-time work was the most common destination. However, the response does not report the figures for the destinations or any salary bands, so it leaves almost all of the task’s key information uncovered. The statement that some graduates’ destinations were unknown is relevant, but it is not supported with the 8% figure or compared with other outcomes. The table is merely introduced rather than summarised. The response is also 56 words, below the required minimum of 150; this severe lack of development contributes to the very limited coverage. Include the main proportions and comparisons from both visuals.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5
The response has a basic, understandable sequence: it introduces the chart, gives a brief overall comment, and then refers to the table. This provides some organisation, and the reader can follow the general topic. However, the answer is extremely short and does not develop a clear progression through the information. The two visuals are mostly named rather than connected through comparisons, and there is no paragraphing to distinguish an overview from supporting details. The phrase “The second chart” also refers to the table imprecisely. To improve, use a clear introduction, an overview, and separate detail paragraphs, linking related figures with simple cohesive expressions such as “by contrast” and “while.”
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
The vocabulary is sufficient to identify the subject and the two visuals, with relevant terms such as “anthropology graduates,” “undergraduate degrees,” “full-time work,” and “salaries.” The wording is generally understandable, but the range is narrow because the response contains very little description of data. Some phrasing is repetitive: “The chart below presents” and “The table demonstrates” are followed by “The first chart shows” and “The second chart shows.” “Demonstrates” is also less natural than “shows” or “summarises” for introducing a table. Broaden the vocabulary by using precise terms for proportions and comparisons, such as “accounted for,” “the largest share,” and “a higher proportion.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response uses several straightforward sentence forms that are mostly easy to understand. For example, “The table demonstrates the salaries of the anthropologists after five years of work” is grammatically complete, and the present tense is generally suitable for describing a chart. However, the range is very limited: most sentences follow a simple subject–verb pattern, with little use of clauses to compare or qualify information. There is also a spacing error in “destinationsof,” and “Most of the graduates are doing full-time work” shifts to a present-progressive form that is less suitable for reporting the chart’s data. Practise accurate, varied structures such as “While 52% entered full-time work, 15% worked part-time.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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