Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-15

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 graph depict the proportion of driving licence holders in Great Britain by age and gender in 1975/76 and 2006.

Overall, there was an increase of those who held a full car driving licence between 1975/76 and 2006. Fewer women had licences in 1975/76 compared to men.

Starting with females, only 20 of them aged 17-20 years had licences in 1975/76. Furthermore, these numbers doubled to about 42 women aged 21-29 in the same year. 30-39 category were around 50 women holding a driver's licences. However, these numbers declined steadily as the ages progressed ending at about 5 people with licences that year. Coming to the year 2006, teenage women aged 17-20 were about 35 holding licences. Moreover, these numbers jumped to about 62 people in the 21-29 category. As they grew older, at ages 30-39 the numbers rose steadily reaching a peak of around 80 ladies aged 30-49. However, the numbers decreased slightly to 65 women when they attained an age of 60-69 bracket. Also, the numbers decreased dramatically to 30 as the women reached 70 years and over.

In the males category, the driving licence holders aged 17-20 were about 37 in 1975/76. Moreover, these numbers increased to 78 as they attained the age of 21-29 category. Furthermore, they increased in numbers to 85 as they progressed to middle age of 30-39. These numbers remained relatively stable before experiencing a dip of 35 men in their old age. Coming to the 2006 category, licence holders who were 17-20 years were 35 in number. They doubled to about 75 when they attained 21-29 years. Furthermore, as they progressed, the numbers remained relatively stable at around 85 despite minimal fluctuations ending at 87 as they attained 70 years and over.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the graphs well, identifying key trends and making relevant comparisons between genders and years. You successfully highlighted the overall increase in licence holders and noted the differences between the 1975/76 and 2006 data. However, the report is slightly let down by inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state that 20 women aged 17-20 had licences in 1975/76, but the graph shows a percentage, not a raw number. Using 'people' or 'numbers' instead of 'percentage' is a recurring issue that affects the accuracy of your reporting. To reach a higher band, ensure you consistently use the correct units of measurement provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for female and male data. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', and 'However' to link your sentences. While the paragraphing is appropriate, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the connection between sentences is more fluid. Overall, the structure is clear and supports the reader's understanding of the information presented.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'attained', 'fluctuations', and 'relatively stable'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as referring to 'ladies' (which is slightly informal for an academic report) and the repeated use of 'numbers' when you should be referring to 'percentages'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on more precise academic collocations and avoiding informal descriptors will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your control of grammar is generally good. There are some minor errors, such as 'The bar graph depict' (should be 'depicts') and '30-39 category were around 50 women' (missing a preposition or article). Additionally, there are occasional issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause confusion for the reader. To achieve a higher band, aim for more error-free complex sentences and ensure consistent subject-verb agreement throughout your writing.

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

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