Cambridge 10 Writing Task 1 Test 3 - Sample Answers (Band 9 to 4-5)

Real band 9, 8, 7 and 6.5 sample answers for this prompt, plus a genuine band 4-5 answer so you can see exactly what pulls a score down. Every sample comes with examiner-style notes on Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.

The Prompt

UK Graduate Destinations 2008

The charts below show what UK graduate and postgraduate students who did not go into full-time work did after leaving college in 2008.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The Data

UK graduates (excluding full-time work), 2008

Further study: 29,665

Part-time work: 17,735

Unemployment: 13,500

Voluntary work: 3,500

UK postgraduates (excluding full-time work), 2008

Part-time work: 2,725

Further study: 2,725

Unemployment: 1,625

Voluntary work: 345

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Band 9

167 words

Spots the exact tie in the postgraduate figures and reports it as the standout feature it is.

The two bar charts show what UK graduates and postgraduates who did not enter full-time employment did instead after leaving college in 2008.

Overall, further study and part-time work were the two most common destinations for graduates, whereas part-time work and further study were tied for the most common outcome for postgraduates, with unemployment and voluntary work considerably less common in both groups, a pattern that reflects how strongly further study and part-time work stood out as the default routes for both groups.

Among graduates, further study was the single largest category at 29,665 students, followed closely by part-time work at 17,735. Unemployment accounted for 13,500 graduates, while voluntary work was the smallest category by a wide margin, at just 3,500.

The postgraduate figures were far smaller overall, reflecting the much smaller total number of postgraduates. Part-time work and further study were exactly equal, at 2,725 each, followed by unemployment at 1,625. Voluntary work was again the least common destination, with only 345 postgraduates choosing this option.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Covers all categories with a precise overview that identifies the exact tie between part-time work and further study for postgraduates (2,725 each), a genuinely notable detail rather than a generic summary.

Coherence & Cohesion: A clear overview precedes detail grouped by chart, with cohesive devices ("whereas", "followed by") linking figures naturally.

Lexical Resource: Precise language for comparison ("considerably less common", "by a wide margin", "tied for") used accurately throughout.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Wide range of accurate structures, including passive voice and complex comparatives, used with full control.

Band 8

166 words

Accurate and clearly grouped by chart, just missing the sharper framing of the postgraduate tie.

The two bar charts give information about what UK graduates and postgraduates did in 2008 if they did not go straight into full-time work.

Overall, further study and part-time work were the most common choices for graduates, and the same two options were also the most common for postgraduates, while unemployment and voluntary work were much less common for both groups. This pattern suggests that further study and part-time work were the default routes for young people who did not move straight into a full-time job, regardless of whether they had just finished an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree.

For graduates, further study was the largest group, with 29,665 students, followed by part-time work with 17,735. Unemployment came next with 13,500 graduates, and voluntary work was by far the smallest, with only 3,500.

For postgraduates, the numbers were much lower overall. Part-time work and further study were both equal at 2,725, then unemployment at 1,625, and voluntary work was again the smallest, with just 345 postgraduates.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Reports all figures accurately with a clear overview; the exact tie in the postgraduate figures is mentioned but not framed as the standout feature the way a band 9 answer frames it.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised by chart, with plain but accurate transitions ("For graduates", "For postgraduates").

Lexical Resource: Good range and accurate figures, though the connecting language is slightly plainer than a higher-band answer's.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Accurate throughout, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures.

Band 7

165 words

All figures are correct and clearly grouped, but the overview stops short of naming the one detail that stands out.

The charts show what graduates and postgraduates in the UK did in 2008 if they did not get a full-time job straight away.

Overall, further study and part-time work were the two most common options for both graduates and postgraduates, while fewer people chose unemployment or voluntary work. This was true for both graduates and postgraduates, even though the actual numbers were very different in size between the two groups.

For graduates, further study had the highest number, 29,665, and part-time work was next with 17,735. Unemployment was 13,500, and voluntary work was the lowest, with 3,500. These four numbers show that most graduates who did not find full-time work chose to continue studying or to work part time.

For postgraduates, the numbers were smaller. Part-time work and further study were both 2,725, unemployment was 1,625, and voluntary work was the smallest again, at only 345. Even though the postgraduate numbers were much smaller overall, they followed a very similar pattern to the graduate numbers.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Reports every figure accurately with a basic overview, but the overview is a general statement rather than picking out the specific tie between two categories as the most useful detail.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised by chart with a logical structure, though plain ("was next", "was the lowest") throughout.

Lexical Resource: Adequate range for the task; figures are reported accurately but with limited variety in the connecting language.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Accurate, simple sentence structures dominate; meaning is always clear.

Band 6.5

168 words

The figures are all correct, but agreement errors on key task words appear in nearly every sentence.

The chart show what graduate and postgraduate in UK do in 2008 if they not get full-time job straight away.

Overall, further study and part-time work is two most common option for both graduate and postgraduate, while less people choose unemployment or voluntary work. This is true for both graduate and postgraduate, even though the number is very different in size between two group.

For graduate, further study have highest number, 29,665, and part-time work is next with 17,735. Unemployment is 13,500, and voluntary work is lowest, with 3,500. These number show that most graduate who not find full-time job choose to continue study or work part time.

For postgraduate, the number is smaller. Part-time work and further study is both 2,725, unemployment is 1,625, and voluntary work is smallest again, at only 345. Even though postgraduate number is much smaller overall, they follow very similar pattern to graduate number, and this show clear similarity between the two chart even though total number of postgraduate is much less.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Reports all figures accurately with a basic overview, matching the content of the band 7 answer.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clear chart-by-chart structure that mirrors the higher-band answers.

Lexical Resource: Limited by "graduate"/"postgraduate" being used as both singular and plural throughout instead of "graduates"/"postgraduates".

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent subject-verb agreement errors ("chart show", "postgraduate do", "they not get", "is two most common option", "further study have highest number") appear across nearly every sentence.

Band 4-5 - What to Avoid

58 words

No exact figures anywhere in the report, plus a speculative aside that has no place in a data-description task.

This chart is about graduate in UK. Many graduate do further study, this is biggest number. Some do part time job too.

Postgraduate number is small. Same thing, study and part time job is common.

Not many people do voluntary work in both chart, this is smallest number I see, maybe people don't like volunteer work very much.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: No exact figures are given anywhere in the response despite the task requiring precise reporting, and the closing sentence speculates about why volunteering is uncommon, which is outside the scope of a data report. At well under 150 words, the response is also underlength.

Coherence & Cohesion: Reads as a loose list of vague remarks with no overview separating it from supporting detail.

Lexical Resource: Extremely vague and repetitive vocabulary ("small", "common", "biggest number") used in place of the actual figures.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent errors throughout ("This chart is about graduate", "Many graduate do", "Postgraduate number is small").

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These sample answers are written independently for Prep IELTS Now to illustrate real band-score differences. They are a study aid, not official Cambridge or IELTS material.