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 illustrates the proportions of Anthropology graduates from one university who completed their undergraduate degree course, while the table provides data on their salaries in employment after five years work.

Overall, what stands out in the pie chart is that full-time work accounted for the largest share and part-time work in addition with postgrad study comprised the lowest share. Another interesting point is that government sector employees have the highest salaries among all.

Full-time work comprised of more than half like 52% share. Full-time postgrad study and other not known had 8% of total. 15% went to part-time work. Unemployed aquired 12% and the lowest share was gained by part-time plus postgrad study, which is only 5%.

After five years, freelance consultants who earned more than $100,000 were 40% in numbers. Private companies were 30% and the most earning type of employment was government sector workers. They were 50% who earned more than $100,000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main destination pattern accurately: full-time work is the largest category at 52%, while combining part-time work with postgraduate study is the smallest at 5%. You also report the key $100,000+ figures correctly, including government employees at 50%. However, the overview is incomplete: it says government workers have the highest salaries without comparing the full salary distributions, and the table discussion gives only the top salary band. Important contrasts are therefore under-reported, such as private-company employees being most concentrated in the $50,000–$74,999 band (35%), while government and freelance workers are more concentrated in the two highest bands. Develop the comparison across both visuals rather than listing selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph on graduate destinations, and a final paragraph on salaries. This makes the information easy to locate, and transitions such as “Overall” and “After five years” help signal the stages of the report. However, the final paragraph is brief and does not develop the table comparison, so progression across the data is limited. Some links between statements are also abrupt, particularly the shift from the overview’s general claim about salaries to a list of only the highest-income percentages. Grouping salary bands or comparing employment types in a more deliberate order would make the progression more cohesive and the comparisons clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “proportions,” “accounted for,” “share,” and “salary,” and the meaning is generally clear. There is some variety in how figures are described, but several choices are awkward or imprecise for an academic report. For example, “completed their undergraduate degree course” does not accurately describe the chart’s destinations after graduation, and “were 40% in numbers” is an unnatural way to report a proportion. “Aquired” is also misspelled, and “other not known” is unclear. Aim for precise chart language such as “graduates’ destinations,” “accounted for 40%,” and “the destination was unknown.” More accurate collocations would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of sentence forms, including a complex overview sentence beginning “Another interesting point is that…,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors are present, however. In “Full-time work comprised of more than half,” the verb pattern is incorrect; use “comprised more than half” or “accounted for more than half.” The phrase “after five years work” needs a possessive form (“after five years’ work”), while “Full-time postgrad study and other not known had 8%” has an unclear subject and awkward agreement. The sentence “They were 50% who earned…” is also structurally faulty. Use complete, direct clauses to report each figure, and check articles, possessives, and verb patterns.

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