Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graphs below show the number of drivers in Britain who have been caught driving too fast by speed cameras placed on roads, and the number of people killed in road accidents, over an eight-year period since the introduction of speed cameras. The tables show the results of a survey on people's opinions on speed cameras.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

SPEED CAMERA FINES and ROAD ACCIDENT FATALITIES

Student answer (Band 8.0)

The charts compare the number of speed camera fines and road accident fatalities over an eight-year period. The three pie charts also show public opinions about the effectiveness, purpose and number of speed cameras.

Overall, the number of speed camera fines increased dramatically, whereas road accident fatalities remained relatively stable. In addition, most people believed that speed cameras did not reduce accidents and that there were too many cameras on the roads.

The number of fines rose steadily from approximately 200,000 in Year 1 to about 600,000 in Year 5. It then increased sharply, reaching around 800,000 in Year 6, 1.2 million in Year 7, and 1.6 million in Year 8. By contrast, fatalities fluctuated between roughly 3,000 and 3,400 throughout the period. They rose from about 3,100 in Year 1 to 3,300 in Year 2, before falling to around 3,000 in Year 4. After that, the figure increased gradually to approximately 3,300 by Year 8.

Regarding public opinion, 60% of respondents said that speed cameras did not reduce road accidents, while only 32% believed they did. Furthermore, 71% thought the main reason for installing cameras was to raise revenue, compared with just 26% who believed the purpose was to improve road safety. Finally, 56% considered there to be too many speed cameras, while 19% thought there were too few and 17% felt the number was about right. 8% were unsure.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have fully addressed all parts of the task by describing both the trends in the line graphs and the data from the pie charts. You provided a clear overview that highlights the main trends—the dramatic rise in fines versus the stability of fatalities—and the key findings from the survey. The data is accurately selected and supported with specific figures from the charts, such as the rise in fines to 1.6 million and the specific percentages for public opinion. The information is well-integrated, and the report is logically structured to present the data clearly to the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is very well-organized. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, starting with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then two body paragraphs that logically separate the trend data from the survey data. You use a good range of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'By contrast', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the information. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the use of referencing is effective, ensuring that the relationship between the different data points is always clear. Paragraphing is used appropriately throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the task. You use precise terminology such as 'remained relatively stable', 'fluctuated', 'rose steadily', and 'increased sharply' to describe the trends accurately. The language is natural and sophisticated, and there are no errors in word choice or collocation. You successfully incorporate specific terms related to the data, such as 'respondents' and 'installing cameras', which adds to the professional tone of the report. The vocabulary is used with high precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You effectively use complex sentences, such as 'The charts compare... while the three pie charts also show...', and '60% of respondents said that..., while only 32% believed they did.' Punctuation is used correctly to manage these complex structures. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the report. There are no grammatical slips that impede communication, and the writing is fluent and professional.

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