Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-13

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 and table illustrates what anthropology degree holders did after completing their undergraduate course from one university, and the monthly wages of the graduates after doing five years work in the field.

Overall, many of them started doing full-time work, wheras few of them are pursuing their postgrad studies while doing part-time job. However, it is noticeable that after doing five years work in the same field the salaries for many employees increased significantly.

On the one hand, after completing graduation 52% degree holders started doing full-time work. In contrast, from the overall proportion 5% degree holders started their postgrad study with part-time job. Menwhile, 12% students were unemployed.

On the other hand, 40% freelance consultants were earning more than $100,000, and between $75,000 and $99,999, while 50% of the government sector employees were earning more than $100,000, and

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main destination, reporting that 52% entered full-time work, and include relevant figures for part-time study and unemployment. However, the report covers the chart and table only partially: it omits several destination categories and gives very limited comparison of the salary groups. The overview also says salaries “increased significantly,” but the table compares salary distributions by employment type and does not show change over time. The final sentence is unfinished, leaving the private-company data and a clear summary of the table unreported. The response is also below the required 150 words, which contributes to the limited coverage. To improve, complete the comparison and base the overview on the highest and lowest salary bands shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for graduate destinations and salaries. This helps the reader follow the broad topic. However, progression is weakened by the abrupt ending after “and,” which leaves the final comparison incomplete. The linkers “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” are used mechanically rather than to express a clear contrast, and “However” in the overview does not connect the two observations precisely. Some information is also difficult to track because “many of them” and “few of them” are not clearly tied to specific categories. Use a complete final paragraph and organise each section around a clear comparison, supported by accurate referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “degree holders,” “postgrad studies,” “unemployed,” “freelance consultants” and “government sector.” These terms make the subject understandable, and you attempt some formal reporting language. However, several choices are imprecise or awkward: “monthly wages” is not supported by the task, which gives salaries after five years of work, and “started doing” is less suitable for an academic report. There are also spelling errors such as “wheras” and “Menwhile.” Aim for more precise collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, describe graduates as “entering full-time employment” and refer to “salary bands” rather than “wages” when reporting the table.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrastive sentence beginning “However” and the clause “after completing graduation.” Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions remain. The opening says “The pie chart and table illustrates,” where the plural subject requires “illustrate.” In “after doing five years work,” the possessive form is needed (“five years’ work”), and “started their postgrad study with part-time job” needs an article and a clearer grammatical pattern. The final sentence is incomplete, ending with “and,” so it cannot communicate a finished comparison. Check subject–verb agreement, articles and sentence completion, and use a wider range of accurate sentence patterns.

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