Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graphs below show the percentage of people holding full driving licences in Great Britain by age and sex.

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

Full car driving licence holders: by sex and age

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The bar charts compare the percentages of men and women in Great Britain who held full car driving licences across seven age groups in 1975/76 and 2006.

Overall, the proportion of licence holders increased in almost every age group over the period, with the most significant rise occurring among women. Men consistently had higher licence ownership than women, although the gender gap narrowed considerably by 2006.

Among men, licence ownership was already high in 1975/76, particularly for those aged 30–59, where around 85–90% held a full driving licence. By 2006, the figures rose slightly, reaching approximately 95% in these age groups. The percentage of young men aged 17–20 increased from about 35% to 40%, while the figure for those aged 70 and over climbed from roughly 30% to around 75%, representing the largest increase among males.

For women, the rise was much more dramatic. In 1975/76, only about 20–30% of women aged 50 and above possessed a driving licence, and the figure for those aged 70 or over was below 10%. By 2006, however, around 70–80% of women aged 30–59 held a licence, while the proportions for the 60–69 and 70+ age groups increased to approximately 65% and 30%, respectively. Similarly, the percentage of women aged 21–29 rose from about 40% to 65%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response provides a clear overview of the main trends and effectively selects key data points to illustrate the changes between 1975/76 and 2006. You have successfully identified the overall increase in licence ownership and the narrowing gender gap. The comparison between age groups is well-supported by specific data, such as the dramatic rise for women aged 50 and above. All parts of the prompt are addressed, and the information is accurately reported, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that group information by gender. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'although', 'while', and 'similarly' effectively to link sentences and clauses. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the analysis of men and women, which helps the reader follow the comparison easily. The structure is coherent throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a data-description task. Phrases like 'most significant rise', 'narrowed considerably', and 'dramatic' show an ability to use language with precision. You also use reporting verbs and comparative structures effectively. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific synonyms could elevate the response further, but the current range is sufficient for a high band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writing exhibits a high level of grammatical control. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as subordinate clauses ('although the gender gap narrowed...') and participial phrases ('representing the largest increase...'), with very few errors. Punctuation is accurate, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. The control over tense usage (past simple for 1975/76 and present/past for the comparison) is consistent and correct throughout the report.

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