Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-24

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 destinations of anthropology graduates (for one university), whereas the table demonstrates the salaries of anthropology graduates (after 5years' work).

Overall, the highest proportion of pie chart had the full-time work, while the smallest proportion of destination was full-time postgrad study which was similar to not known.

To begin with, the pie chart was divided into six parts. The highest proportion of anthropology graduates was full-time work which has 52%. The second large proportion had part-time work accounted for 15%. Moreover, individuals who were unemployed had 12%. Full-time postgrad study had 8%, and people who had part-time work and postgrad study at the same time were three times less than the part-time work (5%).

Turning to the table, which gives description of 3 type of employment. Freelance consultants salaries who had $25,000-49,999 were only 5% which was similar to government sector (5%) and two times more had private companies (10%). 15% had $50,000-74,999 freelance consultants and government sector as well. However, Private companies had 35%. In addition, salaries of 75,000-99,999 the freelance consultants had 40%, while the government sector decreased to 30% and compare to both of them the private companies declined as well (to 25%). The freelance consultants who had $100,000+ salaries where 40%, whereas the government sector salaries increased to 50% and private companies compared with them who had 75,000-99,999 grown

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main destination, full-time work at 52%, and report several other figures accurately, including part-time work at 15% and unemployment at 12%. The salary section also includes useful comparisons, such as the 40% of freelance consultants in the $75,000–99,999 band and the 50% of government employees earning $100,000 or more. However, the overview is incomplete: it calls full-time postgraduate study the smallest category, although part-time work plus postgraduate study is lower at 5%, and it overlooks that 8% were not known. The final salary comparison is unfinished, and the table’s overall pattern is not clearly summarised. Cover all categories accurately and complete the comparison to make the report more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph on graduate destinations and a separate paragraph on salaries. This helps the reader distinguish the two visuals, and transitions such as “To begin with” and “Turning to the table” signal the change of focus. However, progression within the overview and table paragraph is less clear. The overview misidentifies the smallest destination category, while the salary paragraph moves through income bands without a clear organising comparison. The final sentence breaks off after “grown,” leaving the comparison incomplete. Grouping salary figures by income band or employment type, and using clearer links between comparisons, would make the organisation more coherent and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “destinations,” “proportion,” “unemployed,” “freelance consultants” and “government sector,” so the reader can generally follow the subject matter. There is also some attempt to vary language with “whereas” and “declined.” However, several word combinations are unnatural or imprecise, such as “the highest proportion of pie chart had,” “gives description of 3 type,” and “three times less.” “Salaries … increased” also suggests change over time, although the table compares salary bands rather than tracking a trend. The unfinished phrase “compared with them who had … grown” further weakens clarity. Use precise reporting verbs and standard comparison phrases, such as “accounted for,” “was twice as high as,” and “the share earning …”.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “whereas” and “which,” and most of the intended comparisons can be understood. However, errors recur in sentence construction and agreement. For example, “the highest proportion … had the full-time work” has an unclear subject–verb relationship, while “Freelance consultants salaries who had … were only 5%” does not form a clear grammatical sentence. The phrase “the government sector decreased to 30% and compare to both of them” also combines structures incorrectly, and the final sentence is incomplete. There are tense inconsistencies between present reporting (“illustrates”) and past forms (“was divided”). Build comparisons around clear subjects and verbs, and check each sentence for a complete clause and consistent tense.

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

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