Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-01
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 5.0)
The figures represent the number of French adults whose parents spoke a French language during their childhood and the number who this language to their own children.
Overall, the adults whose parents have spoken a regional language to them occasionally are larger in numbers than those who spoke habitually with one exception of Alsatian. The number of adults who speak a regional language to their children have broadly the same figures except the Alsatian and Occitan.
The adults whose parents spoken habitually to them are similar in Alsatian and Occitan while who spoken occasionally were less Alsatian and more Occitan. There is a decrease in the next three languages which are Breton, Creole and Corsican for both speaking habits used by the adults parents.
About 400 thousands of people spoken Alsatian to their children which decreased to 250 thousands speaking Occitan. While the remaining three languages used by adults to their children which are Breton, Creole and Corsican lie between 50 to 100 thousands of people.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is often unclear and lacks precision. While you identify some trends, the comparison between the two charts is confusingly phrased. For example, stating 'the adults whose parents have spoken a regional language to them occasionally are larger in numbers' is vague and does not clearly reference the data points. Furthermore, the description of the second chart is disjointed, and the specific figures mentioned (e.g., '400 thousands') are not clearly linked to the categories provided in the prompt. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the two charts and use specific data points to support your observations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the two charts is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, the phrase 'while who spoken occasionally were less Alsatian and more Occitan' is grammatically disjointed and makes the relationship between ideas difficult to follow. Referencing is also problematic; it is often unclear which group or language you are referring to, which forces the reader to work too hard to interpret your meaning. Using a wider range of linking words and clearer signposting would significantly improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic structures. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'the adults parents' instead of 'the adults' parents' and '400 thousands of people spoken Alsatian'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the report. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'a significant decline', 'remained stable', or 'the figures for X were considerably higher than Y', rather than relying on simple descriptors like 'larger in numbers'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect readability. There are issues with verb tense consistency (e.g., 'parents spoken' instead of 'parents spoke'), missing articles, and incorrect sentence structures. Many sentences are fragmented or lack necessary prepositions, such as 'the number of adults who speak a regional language to their children have broadly the same figures', where 'have' should be 'has'. While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often faulty. Focusing on basic sentence construction and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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