Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-28

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 6.0)

The chart illustrates the career choices of anthropology graduates from one university after finishing their undergraduate degree. The table presents the salaries of the anthropology graduates after five years' work in the three sectors - freelance consultants, government sector and private companies.

Overall, the most noticeable feature is that majority of graduates employed full time work after graduation. Most of the anthropologist who worked on government sector earned relatively high salary compared with others.

From the chart, it is clear that 52% of graduates have entered full time work after finishing the degree. Other 48% of graduates have engaged in other activities. Among them 12% are unemployed and there is no information about 8% of graduates. However, 15% graduates have involved in part time work, 8% have started postgrad study and 5% have balanced between study and work.

Regarding the salaries, the two group such as freelance consultants and government employee had similar range of salary distribution. However, it differs in case of highest amount such as 40% of freelance consultants received $75,000-99,999 and $100,000+ equally, whereas 30% of government employee received $75,000-99,999 and 50% received $100,000+ which is the highest proportion compared with others. In case of private companies, although the proportion was high initially as 10% and 35% employees received $25,000-49,999 and %50,000 -74,999 respectively, the proportion was lower in case of highest amount. As 25% and and 30% received $75,000-99,999 and $100,000+ respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover both visuals and give a relevant overview: full-time work is the largest destination, while government employees are most concentrated in the top salary band. Most figures are reported accurately, including the 52% in full-time work and the salary distributions. However, the overview could compare the destinations more fully, and the salary discussion is uneven: the private-company figures are included, but the key contrast that 45% earned below $75,000, compared with 20% in each of the other sectors, is not drawn out. There is also a factual imprecision in saying 8% “started postgrad study”; this combines full-time postgraduate study (8%) with the separate 5% studying part-time while working. A sharper overview and more selective comparisons would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to the graduate destinations and then salaries. This gives the reader a coherent overall route through the information, and signposts such as “From the chart” and “Regarding the salaries” make the topic shifts clear. Some linking is mechanical or imprecise, however. “Other 48%” is an awkward reference to all remaining categories, while “However” does not express a clear contrast before the list of other destinations. The salary paragraph also becomes difficult to follow in its long final sentence, with repeated “as” and “and and.” Grouping salary bands into lower and higher ranges, and using clearer comparisons between sectors, would make progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “career choices,” “salary distribution,” “proportion,” and “highest amount,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal reporting language, such as “the most noticeable feature.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “employed full time work” should describe graduates as entering full-time employment, and “worked on government sector” is not idiomatic. “Highest amount” is vague when referring to a salary band, and “balanced between study and work” is less precise than describing graduates who combined part-time work with postgraduate study. Check spelling and formatting of salary ranges as well. More precise, natural collocations would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a subordinate clause beginning “although” and comparisons using “whereas.” The main information remains understandable, but grammatical control is inconsistent, with errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “the most noticeable feature is that majority” needs an article, and “Most of the anthropologist who worked” has a plural-agreement problem. In “the two group such as … had,” both the noun and the following reference need more accurate agreement. The final sentence beginning “In case of private companies” is also incomplete after “the proportion was lower,” and its punctuation and repeated conjunction make the structure hard to manage. Aim for shorter, complete comparison sentences and check singular/plural forms.

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

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