Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-15

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 chart illustrate the number of French adults, measured in thousand who spoke a regional to them during habitually or occasionally.

Overall, Occitan was the most commonly spoken regional language on an occasional basis, wheras Alsatian was leading language spoken habitually. By contrast, creole and corsican low figures in both categories.

Regarding languages spoken habitually, Alsatian and Occitan recorded the highest figures, at approximately 600,000 each. Breton ranked third, with around 250,000 adults having heard it regularly from their parents. Meanwhile, the figures from Creole and Corsican were considerably lower, at roughly 100,000 and 70,000, respectively.

Turning to languages spoken occasionally, Occitan dominated the chart, reaching approximately 1.1 million adults. This was considerably higher than the figure for Breton, which stood about 400,000. Alsatian at around 250,000 adults, while Cerole and Corsican had relatively similar figures, at approximately 120,000 and 100,000. In conclusion, Occitan was more in occasional language than in habitual language, whereas Alsatian showed in opposite pattern.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The report identifies the main contrast between the two parent-speaking categories: Occitan is highest for occasional speech, while Alsatian is highest for habitual speech. It also includes several relevant figures, such as about 1.1 million for occasional Occitan and roughly 400,000 for Breton. However, the overview is incomplete and partly inaccurate: Alsatian and Occitan are not “approximately 600,000 each” habitually, since Occitan is slightly higher, and the chart’s separate figures for adults who speak a language to their own children are not reported at all. The task asks about both childhood exposure and transmission to children, so omitting the latter chart leaves a major part of the information uncovered. Develop an overview that compares both charts and select key figures from each.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for habitual and occasional speech. Phrases such as “Regarding” and “Turning to” help signal the shift between categories, and the final sentence attempts to summarise the contrast. This organisation makes the information reasonably easy to follow. However, the conclusion repeats the overview rather than adding a useful comparison, and the missing discussion of the own-children figures leaves the report’s progression incomplete. Some linking is also mechanical, with repeated “Meanwhile” and “approximately” style reporting. A more complete sequence—overview of both charts, then grouped comparisons—would make the report more cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of chart-reporting vocabulary, including “dominated,” “ranked third,” “considerably lower,” and “stood,” which helps describe comparisons and quantities. The language is generally understandable, but several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems reduce precision. For example, “a regional to them” is unclear, “more in occasional language” is not a natural way to compare categories, and “Cerole” is a misspelling of “Creole.” “Leading language” is also less idiomatic than “highest figure” or “most commonly reported language.” Aim for accurate, natural phrases such as “whose parents spoke a regional language to them” and “the number speaking it occasionally,” and check spellings of language names.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple statements and more developed comparative sentences, including “This was considerably higher than the figure for Breton,” and most meanings remain recoverable. However, some grammatical errors are noticeable. The opening has subject–verb disagreement in “The bar chart illustrate,” and the phrase “Alsatian at around 250,000 adults” is a sentence fragment. There are also missing or incorrect grammatical elements in “which stood about 400,000” and “Alsatian showed in opposite pattern.” The overview’s “creole and corsican low figures” lacks a verb. Improve control of agreement, articles, and complete sentence structure; for example, write “Alsatian stood at around 250,000” and “Corsican and Creole had low figures.”

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