Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

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

Overall, the proportion of licence holders increased across all age groups over the period. In both years, the highest percentages were generally seen among people aged between 30 and 49.

Among adults in their productive years (21-49), licence ownership was already relatively high in 1975/76 and rose further by 2006. For men, the figures ranged from around 70% to nearly 90%, with the highest proportion recorded among those aged 30-39. Women showed a more noticeable increase, climbing from approximately 50-60% in 1975/76 to around 65-80% in 2006. As a result, the gender gap became substantially smaller in these age groups.

A different pattern can be observed among the youngest and older age groups. People aged 17-20 had the lowest percentages in both years, although the figures still increased moderately, from about 30% to 40% for men and from around 20% to 30% for women. In contrast, licence ownership among those aged 50 and above experienced significant growth, particularly among women. For example, the proportion of female licence holders aged 60-69 and 70 or over roughly doubled by 2006. While older men also recorded increases, their growth was less dramatic, remaining below the levels observed among middle-aged adults.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by summarizing the main features of full driving licence holders in Great Britain by age and sex. A clear and relevant overview is provided, highlighting the general upward trend across all age groups and identifying peak ownership in the 30 to 49 age bracket. Key comparisons between 1975/76 and 2006 are effectively drawn, such as the narrowing gender gap among working-age adults and the dramatic percentage increases among older women. Data points are accurately cited to support the descriptions without unnecessary listing of every single figure, demonstrating a high level of selective reporting appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response is exceptionally well-organized and displays a clear logical progression from general trends to specific demographic comparisons. Paragraphing is used skillfully and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the data, such as productive-age adults versus younger and older demographics. Cohesive devices are managed naturally and unobtrusively, including transition phrases like 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'As a result'. Referencing throughout the text is clear, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the comparisons between sexes and years.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The student utilizes a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Less common lexical items and functional phrases are used skillfully, such as 'productive years', 'gender gap became substantially smaller', and 'experience significant growth'. Word choices and collocations are generally precise and natural, with only occasional minor inaccuracies that do not impede communication. The vocabulary allows the writer to convey precise trends and proportions effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, and control over punctuation and grammar is strong. Complex constructions, such as participial clauses ('climbing from approximately...') and subordinate clauses ('while older men also recorded increases...'), are handled with confidence. Only very occasional, minor slips occur, placing the response firmly at the Band 8 level for grammatical control.

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