Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-12
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The charts below show the number of French adults whose parents spoke a French regional language to them when they were children and the number who speak a French regional language to their own children.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.
Number of adults (in thousands) whose parents spoke a regional language to them in childhood
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The rendered bar graphs illustrates the information about the number of French adults whose parents spoke a French regional language to them when they were children and the number who speak French regional language to their own children.
At the fleeting glance over the given details, the maximum count of adults who spoke habitually was noticed in Alsatian and Occitan noticed as 600 thousands while minimum was noticed in Corsican with figure of nearly 90 thousands. In stark contrast, the highest occasionally spoken language by adults was Occitan tally of nearly about 1.1 m thousands whereas lowest spoken language was Corsican count of 100 thousands.
Probing ahead, a resemblance can be seen in spoken habitually between Alsatian and Occitan with count of 600 thousands. The difference of 100 thousands can be seen in Creole and Corsican.
Overall, creole and Corsican were the least spoken languages by the adults habitually and occasionally.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the highest and lowest values, the report lacks a clear comparison between the two charts (parents' language vs. own children's language). The data presentation is also slightly confusing; for instance, you mention '1.1 m thousands', which is mathematically unclear and suggests a misunderstanding of the units provided. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the two categories and provide a more comprehensive overview of the trends rather than just listing isolated data points. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the information presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression is weak. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs feels abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical or misused, such as 'At the fleeting glance' and 'Probing ahead', which are not natural academic phrases. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two distinct charts. Improving the use of linking words like 'whereas', 'in contrast', and 'similarly' would help create a smoother flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'noticed as' and 'count of'. There are also issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'tally of nearly about 1.1 m thousands', which is redundant and imprecise. The use of 'fleeting glance' is inappropriate for a formal report. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'figures', 'proportions', 'experienced', or 'witnessed', and ensure that numerical data is expressed clearly without redundant units.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, the opening sentence has a subject-verb agreement error: 'The rendered bar graphs illustrates'. There are also issues with article usage and sentence structure, such as 'highest occasionally spoken language' and 'nearly 90 thousands'. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty or awkward. To improve, focus on basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of pluralization with numbers. Ensure that your sentences are grammatically sound before attempting more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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