Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-28
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 bar charts illustrate the comparison of six regional spoken languages between number of adults whose parents spoke to them in childhood and number of adults who speak to their own children.
Overall, it is evident that Occltan and Alsatian were the most spoken language to them by their parents while they mostly speak Alsatian to their children and speak Corsican the least.
It is clear from the graph that 600 parents spoke Alstatian and Occitan languages habitually as compared to 200 spoke Alsatian and almost 1.1 million spoke Occitan occasionally to the adults in their childhood. The trend to speak regional languagesas-Breton, Creole, Corsican- declined dramatically respectively ultimately reached around 100 for Corsican.
Alsatian is spoken by almost 400 adults to their children with falling trend eventually finishing at only 50 who speak Corsican.
In short, it is clearly demonstrated that approximately the same trend, with slight decline in each category, is followed by adults as by their parents in terms of speaking regional languages.
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 provides an overview and attempts to describe the data, but it struggles with accuracy and clarity. While it identifies the main trends, the interpretation of the figures is often confusing or mathematically incorrect (e.g., mentioning '1.1 million' when the chart units are in thousands). The comparison between the two charts is attempted, but the lack of precise data points makes it difficult for the reader to follow the trends accurately. To improve, ensure that the data cited matches the provided charts exactly and avoid vague descriptions like 'slight decline' when the charts show more significant variations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive feature. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often mechanical or misused, such as the abrupt transition in the third paragraph. The final summary is somewhat repetitive and does not effectively synthesise the information presented in the body paragraphs. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows logically from the previous one would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'most spoken language to them' and 'falling trend eventually finishing'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends (e.g., 'a downward trajectory', 'remained consistent') and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for an academic report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'compare of six regional'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'The trend to speak regional languagesas-Breton...'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of hyphens and commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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