Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-22

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 8.0)

The charts compare the number of adults, in thousands, whose parents spoke five French regional languages to them during childhood and the number who now speak these languages to their own children.

Overall, Alsatian and Occitan were the most widely spoken regional languages, whereas Creole and Corsican were considerably less common. Another noticeable feature is that fewer adults speak these regional languages to their own children than the number who heard them from their parents.

Looking first at parental language use, Alsatian was spoken habitually to approximately 400,000 adults, while a further 250,000 heard it occasionally. By contrast, Occitan was habitually spoken to around 600,000 people, but its occasional use was much higher, at just over one million. Breton recorded lower figures, with roughly 250,000 adults hearing it habitually and about 400,000 occasionally. Creole and Corsican were the least commonly spoken languages in both categories.

Turning to the languages adults now speak to their own children, Alsatian recorded the highest figure, at around 400,000. Occitan ranked second at approximately 250,000, despite having had the highest combined level of parental use. The corresponding figure for Breton was much lower, at about 100,000, while Creole and Corsican were spoken to children by fewer than 100,000 adults each.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and successfully selected and reported the key features of the data. The comparison between the two charts is well-handled, and the figures are accurately cited to support your descriptions. You have successfully identified the overall decline in language usage across generations and highlighted the specific rankings of the languages. The report is well-structured and meets the requirements of an Academic Task 1 response by providing a concise and analytical summary of the provided information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, the parental usage, and the current usage. You have used cohesive devices such as 'By contrast', 'Turning to', and 'while' effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly from one point to the next. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the referencing is consistently clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have demonstrated a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a report of this nature. Phrases such as 'habitually spoken', 'recorded the highest figure', and 'combined level of parental use' show a good level of precision. The vocabulary is natural and fits the context well. While the range is sufficient and accurate, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated synonyms for 'number' or 'figure' to avoid repetition, though this does not impede communication or clarity in any way.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing displays a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('whose parents spoke...', 'despite having had...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over punctuation and grammar is strong. There are no significant errors that hinder the reader's understanding. The use of tense is consistent and appropriate for describing data. The response demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy, with only very minor slips, if any, which is characteristic of a high-band performance.

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