Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-31

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 5.0)

The chart illustrates the destination of Anthropology graduates after completing their undergraduate studies. The table shows the salaries of the anthropologists in work after five years.

Overall, distinct destinations of Anthropology graduates are explained in the chart. Where students with full time work are on the top with half of the total. while those with part work and postgrad study are the least in the chart. Additionally, salaries in the government sector are more in the range with more then [redacted phone] dollars.

most of the anthropology graduates got full time work with 52% of the total, followed by the second most part time with only 15%. Those with no jobs are 12%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and report two accurate figures: full-time work is the largest destination at 52%, and part-time work accounts for 15%; you also correctly give unemployment as 12%. However, the response is incomplete and does not adequately summarise both visuals. The table receives only a vague statement that government salaries are higher in the $100,000+ range, with no comparison of the three employment types or salary bands. The overview also omits other destinations, including postgraduate study and the 8% whose outcomes are unknown. The response is 99 words, below the required 150, which limits the detail needed to select and report the main features. Develop the overview and include key comparisons from the table.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph giving some chart figures. This gives the reader a starting point, and phrases such as “followed by” show an attempt to order information. However, progression is limited because the table is not developed in a separate, organised comparison, and the final paragraph stops after only a few destinations. Cohesive links are sometimes awkward: “Additionally” introduces a table point without explaining its relationship to the chart, while “Where” does not form a clear connection to the preceding sentence. Capitalisation at the start of “most” also disrupts presentation. Group the chart details together, then compare salary distributions, using clear links between the two sections.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “destination,” “graduates,” “undergraduate studies,” “full time work,” and “salaries,” so the topic is generally clear. There is also some attempt to describe ranking through “on the top” and “the least.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “distinct destinations … are explained” and “salaries … are more in the range.” “Part work” is not the correct label for the chart category, and “no jobs” is less precise than “unemployed.” These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, but they reduce accuracy and flexibility. Use the chart’s exact category labels and practise natural language for proportions and salary bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response uses mostly simple sentence patterns, with a few attempts to combine information, as in “most of the anthropology graduates got full time work with 52% of the total, followed by the second most part time.” Some sentence boundaries and punctuation are faulty: “while” begins a fragment after a full stop, and the overview’s “Where students…” construction does not make a complete, well-formed sentence. The final figure, “Those with no jobs are 12%,” is understandable but uses an awkward grammatical pattern for reporting a proportion. Capitalisation is inconsistent, including the lowercase “most” after a paragraph break. Build a wider range of accurate comparison sentences and check that each sentence has a clear subject and complete structure.

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

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