Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-15

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 given pie chart illustrates the comparative details regards the responses by tutors of international language in Britain to a survey concerning why their learners are learning a foreign language.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that highest percentage of students preferred to study foreign language was due to travel purpose in the former pie chart, whereas lowest percentage of changes can be noticed in the case of general interest and personal development in the latter chart.

It is evident from the former graph, the maximum percentage of teachers noticed that most common reason among students for learning foreign language was travel listed as 33% which was followed by that of business/work. On the contrary, the minimum percentage of scholars preferred learning international language due to foreign partner accounted for 3% only. Moreover, a similarity was experienced in the case of personal development and social contacts. The percentile of students who liked to study foreign languages because of buying property overseas was greater than that of general interests.

Moving further on the latter chart, there was a disparity of 19% in the percentage of teachers who noticed a recent increase ij people learning for buying property overseas and social contacts. Furthermore, In the case of personal development and foreign partner the proportion of former one was similar to the latter one. In addition to it, the percentile of teachers who observed recent inclination in masses learning for travel, business/work and general interest were 3%,6% and 19% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by describing both pie charts. You have successfully identified the key features, such as the highest and lowest categories in both charts. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by some confusing phrasing, particularly regarding the second chart. For instance, stating there was a 'disparity of 19%' between categories is not clearly linked to the data provided. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more precise and that the data points are clearly connected to the trends described. The overview is present but could be more effectively synthesised to highlight the main differences between the two charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organised into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the contrary', 'Moreover', and 'Moving further on' to link ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, in the final paragraph, the phrase 'the proportion of former one was similar to the latter one' is vague and makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison without constant reference back to the prompt. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'comparative details', 'disparity', and 'inclination'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'tutors of international language' instead of 'foreign language teachers', and 'percentile' used incorrectly when you mean 'percentage'. There are also minor spelling errors like 'ij' instead of 'in'. To improve, focus on using vocabulary that is more natural and precise in an academic context. Avoid using 'percentile' unless you are specifically referring to statistical distribution rankings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of the text. Examples include 'the highest percentage of students preferred to study foreign language was due to travel' (missing 'that' or 'the reason'), and 'the proportion of former one was similar to the latter one' (missing articles). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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