Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-29

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 8.0)

## IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 — Band 8/9 Sample

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

Overall, the proportion of licence holders increased substantially among women across almost all age groups, while the changes among men were less consistent. In both years, men generally had higher rates of licence ownership than women, particularly among older people.

In 1975/76, around **40% of men aged 70 and over** held a full driving licence, compared with only about **5% of women** in the same age group. Among men, the figure rose to approximately **60% for those aged 60–69**, and remained at around **55–60%** for the 30–59 age groups. The highest proportion was among men aged 21–29, at roughly **75%**. For women, the corresponding figures were considerably lower, ranging from about **20% among 17–20-year-olds** to just over **50% among those aged 30–39**.

By 2006, licence ownership among women had risen markedly. The figure reached approximately **80% for women aged 40–49** and about **75–78% among those aged 30–59**. Even among women aged 60–69, it had increased to around **65%**. Male ownership also increased among most older age groups, reaching about **90% among 50–69-year-olds**. However, among the youngest men, the proportion fell slightly, from around 40% to **35%**.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response fully and accurately addresses all parts of the task. It provides a clear, well-developed overview stating that licence ownership increased substantially among women while men showed more stable patterns, alongside the general trend that men held higher percentages than women. Key features are well selected and supported with accurate data from the charts, such as contrasting the figures for older age groups in 1975/76 and highlighting the significant growth among women by 2006. The information is grouped logically across paragraphs without any noticeable omissions of key trends or relevant comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The report exhibits a clear logical progression throughout. Information is organized effectively with an introductory paragraph, a clear overall summary, and well-structured body paragraphs dedicated to specific years and comparisons. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In both years', 'By 2006', and 'However' are used naturally and appropriately to guide the reader between contrasting trends and time periods. Referencing is clear, and paragraphing is skillfully managed, contributing to an entirely coherent and smooth reading experience.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Phrases like 'proportion of licence holders increased substantially', 'licence ownership among women had risen markedly', and 'less consistent' show sophisticated control of lexical items. Word choice and collocations are accurate, with only rare, negligible inconsistencies. The vocabulary effectively conveys precise statistical trends without sounding repetitive or mechanical.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

A wide variety of complex structures is used with a high degree of flexibility and control. The majority of sentences are error-free, featuring well-constructed subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'comparing the percentages of men and women...' and 'reaching about 90% among 50–69-year-olds'. Punctuation is accurate, and grammar is handled with great precision, qualifying the writing for a high band score.

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