Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-03

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)

This chart shows the number of parents whom uses French regional language to their children when they were young, this graph shows the trend for languages used in conversation.

Chart shows the information for languages which are Alsatian, Occitan, Breton, Creole, and Corsican. Alsatian and Occitan are the languages which are similar during normal conversation, these both are highly used, after that Breton is third and Creole and Corsican are also similar and they are at the last, during special occasions Occitan can be seen increasing in trend, and is highly used by individuals, second one is Breton it also ascends in trend, thirdly Alsatian decreases in trend, and almost Creole and Corsican are similar. By looking at the lower chart we can observe that Alsatian is the most spoken language which parents used, Occitan is second highest, Breton, Creole, Corsican are alike.

During normal conversation Alsatian and Occitan is spoken by nearly 600,000 individuals, then Breton is spoken by around 300,000, Creole and Corsican are used by nearly 100,000 individuals. Throughout occasional conversation Occitan is most used around 1.1 million person, after that Breton is second highest spoken by 400,000 individuals, 250,000 used Alsatian which was the one of the highest spoken language used by parents, and at the last Creole and Corsican are spoken by 100,000 people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the languages and trends, the description of the data is occasionally confusing, particularly when distinguishing between the two charts. The overview is present but lacks clarity in synthesising the information. To improve, ensure you clearly label which chart you are describing and provide a more precise comparison of the figures. Some data points, such as the specific numbers for 'occasional conversation', are mentioned, but the overall comparison between the two sets of data (parents' usage vs. current usage) could be more effectively highlighted to provide a clearer summary of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'then', 'after that', 'thirdly'). There are instances where the logical flow between sentences is weak, making it difficult to follow the comparison of the five languages. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when you refer to 'the lower chart' or 'the one of the highest spoken language'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. You rely on basic descriptors like 'similar', 'highest', and 'last'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'ascends in trend' or '1.1 million person' (which should be 'people'). While you successfully name the specific languages, the overall lexical control is limited. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'a significant proportion', or 'a marginal increase', and ensure correct pluralisation and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('parents whom uses', 'Alsatian and Occitan is spoken'), incorrect article usage, and awkward phrasing ('almost Creole and Corsican are similar'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several comma splices where full stops or semicolons would be more appropriate. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and sentence boundaries. Reducing the number of run-on sentences will make your writing much more professional and easier to read.

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

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