Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-23
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 charts below illustrate the proportion of adults whose parents used a regional language to them during childhood and those who spoke the language to their own children when they became adults.
Overall, parents commonly spoke Occitan to their children both habitually and occasionally scoring 600,000 and 1.1m respectively.Corsican language was spoken on rare occasions hence the lowest totaling 150,000.About 400,000 parents speak Alsatian to children making it the most popular language among the languages spoken.
On the one hand, both Occitan and Alsatian languages were constantly spoken habitually and both had the same proportion of 600,000.Breton language had average trend of 280,000 while Creole and Corsican had the lowest proportions of not more than 200,000 parents who used the language during childhood both habitually and occasionally.
On the other hand, Alsatian became popular in adulthood with about 400,000 parents speaking the language to their own children while Corsican maintained the least position throughout with only 60,000 of adulthood who used the language to speak to their children.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is inconsistent and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, you mention Occitan and Alsatian had the same proportion of 600,000, which is not clearly supported by the data provided. Additionally, the distinction between the two charts (parents speaking to children vs. adults speaking to their own children) is sometimes blurred, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison. To improve, ensure you clearly differentiate between the two datasets and provide more precise data points rather than generalising or misinterpreting the figures. The overview is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally misused. For example, 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used to contrast the two charts, but the internal flow within paragraphs is disjointed. Some sentences are abrupt, and the transition between ideas could be smoother. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as when you refer to 'the lowest position' without explicitly stating which language or category you are comparing. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'habitually', 'occasionally', and 'proportions'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'average trend of 280,000' and 'least position'. These errors do not impede communication but limit the precision of your report. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring that your vocabulary is used in the correct context. Avoid repetitive phrasing and try to incorporate more varied ways to describe trends and data comparisons.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, such as missing articles ('Corsican language was spoken', 'Breton language had average trend') and awkward phrasing ('60,000 of adulthood'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several instances of missing spaces after periods. These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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