Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-20

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 illustrate the percentage of what anthropology graduates from one university did after complete their undergraduate degree. The table chart compare the salaries after five years.

Overall, it can be seen that maximum individual started full-time work after completed their degree and minimum students encouraged to full-time postgrad study. The salary of government sector employs are higher after five years and salaries are minimum of private employs.

Looking at the pie chart in more details. Firstly, more than half percent of anthropology graduates started full-time work and 15% anthropology graduates did part-time work. Furthermore, 8% of people did full-time postgrad study and same percent of students not known. 12% individuals unemployed and only 5% students did part time work and postgrad study.

Moreover, the table chart depicts the salaries of anthropology graduates after 5 years. First of all only 5% employs salary 25 to 50 thousand dollars in freelance employment and same percent of people salary in government sector. Furthermore, 15% employs salary 50 to 75 thousand and same pecent of people get this salary. In addition, 40% employs get salary range 75 to 1 lakh dollars and same percent employs salary more than 1 lakh dollars. 30% employees salary range 75000 to 1 lakh and half employees salary more than 1 lakh $ after five years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main destination pattern: full-time work is the largest category, while combining part-time work with postgraduate study is the smallest. You also include several accurate percentages, such as 15% for part-time work and 12% unemployed. However, the overview is partly unclear and includes an unsupported claim that government employees’ salaries are highest and private employees’ are lowest; the table shows distributions across salary bands, not average salaries. The salary details are also incomplete and sometimes misassigned: for example, the 40% figures in the freelance row refer to the two highest bands, while the government row has 50% in the top band. Select and compare the key salary patterns more accurately, and make the overview precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the pie chart and salary table. This makes the two sources easy to distinguish. Sequencing within the paragraphs is generally understandable, and transitions such as “Furthermore” and “Moreover” help signal additions. However, the repeated “First of all” and “Furthermore” make the linking somewhat mechanical, and the salary paragraph’s figures are difficult to follow because the employment groups and salary bands are not consistently identified. The sentence “same percent of people get this salary” also leaves the reader unsure which group is being compared. Use clearer references and organise the table information by employment type or salary band.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “full-time work,” “unemployed,” “postgrad study,” and “salary range,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning difficult to interpret. For example, “maximum individual” and “minimum students encouraged” do not naturally describe the largest and smallest categories, while “employees salary” is unclear. There are also spelling errors such as “pecent,” and “table chart” is an imprecise label. Aim for accurate reporting language such as “the largest proportion,” “the smallest share,” and “earned,” and check spelling and noun forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the response is divided into complete paragraphs. However, grammatical errors occur frequently, including in basic sentence patterns, and some make the intended meaning harder to follow. For example, “The pie chart illustrate” has subject–verb disagreement, while “after complete their undergraduate degree” and “after completed their degree” use incorrect verb forms. Articles and plural forms are also inconsistent, as in “the salary of government sector employs are higher.” The sentence beginning “Looking at the pie chart in more details” is a fragment. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and complete sentence structures, then check agreement, articles, and verb forms during revision.

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

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