Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-12

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 8.5)

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

Overall, the proportion of licence holders increased substantially among women in almost every age group, while the changes for men were generally smaller. In both years, people aged 30–49 tended to have the highest rates of licence ownership, whereas the youngest group had the lowest figures. By 2006, the gender gap had also narrowed considerably.

In 1975/76, around 80% of men aged 40–49 held a licence, compared with approximately 65% of those aged 50–59 and 60% of 30–39-year-olds. The figure was lower among 21–29-year-olds, at about 75%, and only around 35% of men aged 17–20 had a licence. Among men aged 70 and over, the proportion was roughly 30%.

By 2006, male ownership had changed relatively little in most age groups. The figure for 30–39-year-olds rose to about 85%, while the proportion for 40–49-year-olds was around 88%. For 21–29-year-olds, it remained close to 70%, whereas the rate for those aged 50–59 increased to approximately 90%. However, ownership among men aged 60–69 and 70+ was around 90% and 75%, respectively.

The most striking change occurred among women. In 1975/76, only about 10% of women aged 70 and over had a licence, compared with roughly 35% of those aged 60–69. By 2006, these figures had risen to around 30% and 65%. Among women aged 40–49 and 30–39, licence ownership increased from about 38% and 50% to approximately 80% in both groups. The figure for women aged 21–29 also rose from around 43% to 60%, while the youngest group increased from about 20% to 30%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have clearly identified the main trends and provided a comprehensive summary of the data. You successfully highlighted the significant increase in female licence holders and the narrowing gender gap, while also noting the stability in male ownership. The use of data to support your points is precise, and you have made relevant comparisons between the two time periods and between the sexes. All parts of the prompt are addressed thoroughly, and the overview provides a clear, accurate summary of the key features shown in the charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed analysis of men and women. Cohesive devices such as 'In 1975/76', 'By 2006', 'whereas', and 'while' are used naturally to link information and contrast data points. The flow of the essay is smooth, and each paragraph has a clear focus, making the information easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary. Phrases such as 'proportion of licence holders', 'narrowed considerably', 'most striking change', and 'licence ownership' are used accurately and in the correct context. The vocabulary is sophisticated and contributes to the clarity of the report. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is appropriate for an academic task of this nature.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You have successfully used complex sentences, such as 'In 1975/76, around 80% of men aged 40–49 held a licence, compared with approximately 65% of those aged 50–59', which are error-free. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no grammatical slips that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are complex and demonstrate a high level of control over English grammar.

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