Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-26

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 6.0)

The bar charts illustrate the number of French youngsters whose parents spoke a French regional language to them when they were children, as well as the number who speak a French regional language to their own children.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that the number of youngsters speaking regional languages was generally higher when they were children than when they spoke these languages to their own children. In addition, Alsatian, Occitan and Breton recorded relatively high figures, while Corsican had the lowest figures in most categories.

There were five regional languages shown in the charts: Alsatian, Occitan, Breton, Creole and Corsican. In the first chart, Alsatian and Occitan recorded almost the same figure, at around 600. By contrast, Corsican was considerably lower, at approximately 180. The figure for Breton was almost twice as high as that for Creole.

In the second chart, Occitan recorded a relatively higher figure compared with the other languages, while Creole and Corsican showed moderate figures. The figure for Alsatian decreased considerably, reaching around 210.

In the third chart, Alsatian recorded the highest figure, at approximately 400, whereas Occitan decreased to around 250. Overall, the figures for the three charts showed a gradual decline in most cases, with some variations among the languages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the task requirements by identifying the main trends and comparing the data across the categories. However, there is a significant issue with the interpretation of the charts. You describe 'three charts' and refer to them as separate entities, whereas the prompt provides two distinct charts (parents speaking to children vs. adults speaking to their own children). This misinterpretation leads to confusion in the body paragraphs, as the data points mentioned do not accurately reflect the provided visual information. While you attempt to highlight key features, the lack of accuracy in reporting the data prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you carefully analyze the labels and axes before drafting your report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and overview. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'By contrast', and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the progression of information is hindered by the confusion regarding the number of charts. The transition between the paragraphs feels disjointed because the data being described does not align with the visual evidence provided. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the internal logic within the paragraphs is weakened by the misidentification of the data sources. Improving the accuracy of your data reporting will naturally enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrate', 'recorded', 'considerably lower', and 'gradual decline'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. However, the repetition of the word 'figure' and 'figures' throughout the response limits the sophistication of your lexical range. To reach a higher band, try to vary your vocabulary by using synonyms such as 'data points', 'statistics', 'proportions', or 'levels'. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate your points clearly, and there are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede understanding.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You demonstrate control over basic grammar, and there are very few errors that impede communication. Examples of complex structures include 'the number of French youngsters whose parents spoke...' and 'while Creole and Corsican showed moderate figures'. While the grammar is generally accurate, the range of structures is somewhat limited. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of subordinate clauses or passive voice constructions to describe the data more formally. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and the sentence structure is generally clear and easy to follow.

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

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