Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The pie charts below show responses by teachers of foreign languages in Britain to a survey concerning why their students are learning a foreign language. The first chart shows the main reason for learning a foreign language. The second chart shows how many teachers felt that there has been a recent change in the reason.

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

% of teachers reporting the following as most common reason for learning:

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The two pie charts illustrate the reasons why people in britain learn a foreign language. The first chart demonstrates the major cause for learning a foreign language. The second chart presents the conclusion of teacher feeling the change in reason to learn a secondary language.

According to the first pie chart, the percentage of teacher reporting that travel and business or work followed by buying property overseas as the most common reason for learning a foreign. Some of teacher teachers report that they learn a foreign language due to a social contact or for their own personal development. Although not many but few reports of having a general interest or to communicate with a loved one.

In the following chart percentage of teachers reporting an increase in people to learn a foreign language because either they want to buy a property or they for business related opportunities. we can also document a major decrease in travel based language learning. A slight increment in general interest can also be noted, while a fall in personal development and foreign partner. Learning a foreign language due to social contacts has also increased.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed the main features of the charts, but the response lacks precision in data reporting. You mention categories like 'travel' and 'business' but fail to provide the specific percentages or comparative figures required for a high-scoring Task 1 report. Additionally, the description of the second chart is vague; you mention an 'increase' or 'decrease' without specifying the magnitude of these changes. To improve, ensure you include specific data points from the charts to support your observations. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to highlight the main trends, such as the dominance of travel and business as primary motivations.

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 somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'In the following chart' is slightly awkward, and the connection between ideas within sentences is sometimes weak, such as in the phrase 'Although not many but few reports'. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the lack of clear referencing makes it difficult to distinguish between the two charts at times. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring they are used correctly would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'percentage of teachers reporting' and 'reason for learning'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'conclusion of teacher feeling' and 'slight increment in general interest'. While your meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, try to use more sophisticated synonyms for 'increase' (e.g., 'surged', 'rose') and 'decrease' (e.g., 'declined', 'dipped') and ensure your word choices are contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the percentage of teacher reporting' (should be 'teachers'), 'Some of teacher teachers' (repetition and incorrect pluralisation), and 'they for business related opportunities' (missing verb). Your sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. While you use some complex structures, they are often marred by errors in subject-verb agreement or missing prepositions. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, such as pluralisation and verb usage, will significantly improve your score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.