Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-20

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)

While first representation illustrates the information about those parents who used to speak in a regional dialect to their young children, the another graph demonstrates how many adults used a regional language when they talk to their own children.

In detail, the parents of the highest number of adults spoke in Alsatian and Occitan language to them habitually, accounting for 600 thousands. By contrast, the lowest figure was seen in the case of Creole and Corsican which was noted to be almost 200 thousand for each. However, Breton language was spoken habitually by only the parents of [redacted phone] adults.

Furthermore, the parents of as many as 1.5 million adults spoke to them in Occitan language occasionally followed by Breton speakers at [redacted phone] adults. Lastly, the number of adults whose parents talked to them in Alsatian, Creole and Corsican dialects was [redacted phone], [redacted phone] and [redacted phone], orderly.

Moving ahead to the second bar graph, Alsatian was spoken by the maximum number of adults accounted for [redacted phone] whereas, the count of Occitan speakers followed it at [redacted phone]. Eventually, the number of adults who talked in the remaining three dialects to their children was not more than 100 thousands.

Overall, Alsatian was the most spoken language habitually and occasionally by the parents to their children in their childhood meanwhile, Creole and Corsican was the least used languages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by describing both charts. You have identified key features, such as the highest and lowest figures for both habitual and occasional usage. However, the report lacks a clear overview that synthesizes the main trends effectively. While you mention some data, the comparison between the two charts is somewhat limited. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the two distinct datasets (parents' past usage vs. adults' current usage) and provide a more cohesive summary of the overall shift in language usage. The data points are generally accurate, but the structure of the comparison could be more analytical rather than just listing figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices like 'In detail,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Moving ahead to the second bar graph' to transition between ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical. Additionally, there are minor issues with referencing; for example, 'the another graph' is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly rather than relying on simple lists.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'habitually,' 'occasionally,' and 'regional dialect.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the another graph' instead of 'the other graph' or 'the second graph,' and 'orderly' used incorrectly to mean 'respectively.' There is also some repetition of basic verbs like 'spoke' and 'talked.' To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise reporting verbs and synonyms for 'number' or 'figure' (e.g., 'proportion,' 'statistic,' 'tally') and ensure that adverbs are used correctly to describe the data trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'While first representation illustrates' (missing an article), '600 thousands' (incorrect pluralization), and 'Creole and Corsican was the least used languages' (subject-verb agreement error). These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that plural nouns are handled correctly when paired with numbers.

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

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