Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-02

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:

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

THE PIE CHARTS GIVEN BELOW ILLUSTRATES SURVEY DONE IN BRITIAN TO DEPICT RESPONSES BY TEACHERS CONCENRNING THE ISSUE WHY STUDENTS LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND HOW SOME PROFFESORS FELT THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT CHANGE IN THE FACTORS DUE TO WHICH STUDENTS LEARN ONETHER LANGUAGE .

TO COMMENCE WITH, NEALRY TWO THIRD OF TEACHERS THINKS MAIN FACTOR IS TRAVELLING.AND HALF OF IT SUGGESTS THAT ITS BECAUSE OF BUYING PROPERTY OVERSEAS. NEARLY QUARTER OF THEM THINKS IT IS BUSSINESS AND WORK STUDENTS INITITATES TO LEARN ONETHER LANGUAGE .HOWEVER JUST 7 PERCENT IS BECAUSE OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT .HOWEVER BARELY 3 PERCENT OF THEM IS BECAUSE OF THEIR FORIGN PARTNERS.

ADDITIONALY, IN RECENT TIMES TRENDS CHANGES AND BIGGEST PROPOTION IS TAKEN BY PEOPLE WHO WANTS TO BUY LAND OVERSEAS WITH 34 PERCENT,NEARLY HALF OF IT IS FOR BUSSINESS PURPOSES.HOWEVER TRAVELLING DECLINED SHARPLY FROM 33 TO JUST 3 PERCENT HOWEVER PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOREIGN PARTNERS FACTOR SHOWS BARELY ANY CHANGE WHEREAS FACTORS AS SOCIAL CONTACTS DOUBLES.

IN THE NUTSHELL, BUYING LAND AND BUSSINESS REMAIN THE HIGHEST AND DRASTICS CHANGES IS SHOWN IN FACTORS SUCH AS SOCIAL CONTACT AND TRAVELLING.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially by outlining some of the key features from the two pie charts. However, there are notable inaccuracies in the data interpretation. For instance, the writer states that nearly two-thirds of teachers think travelling is the main factor, whereas the chart shows 33 percent. Similarly, stating that travel declined from 33 to just 3 percent misinterprets the comparison between two distinct charts showing different metrics (most common reason versus recent increase). While the overview mentions buying land and business remain the highest, the overall development of ideas is limited and mechanical, placing the response firmly at this level. To improve, the writer must carefully distinguish between different chart categories and report data accurately without misinterpreting proportions or comparing separate questions as temporal trends.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs for each chart, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'TO COMMENCE WITH', 'ADDITIONALY', and 'IN THE NUTSHELL' are used to sequence information, though some are awkward or slightly non-standard. Referencing and progression are sometimes faulty, particularly in the way information within the body paragraphs jumps between categories without smooth links. To reach the next band, the writer needs to employ a wider and more natural range of cohesive devices, ensure seamless transitions between ideas, and avoid mechanical signposting phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, with noticeable errors that occasionally impede smooth reading. Throughout the text, there are multiple spelling errors such as 'BRITIAN', 'CONCENRNING', 'PROFFESORS', 'ONETHER', 'NEALRY', 'BUSSINESS', 'INITITATES', 'FORIGN', 'ADDITIONALY', 'PROPOTION', and 'DRASTICS'. Word choice is also occasionally imprecise, such as using 'PROFFESORS' instead of 'teachers' or 'LAND' instead of 'property'. To achieve a higher band, the student must expand their lexical repertoire, incorporate less common vocabulary with greater precision, and eliminate basic spelling mistakes through careful proofreading.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The writing demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and basic complex forms that frequently contain errors. There are frequent grammatical mistakes relating to subject-verb agreement ('TRENDS CHANGES', 'FACTOR SHOWS'), article usage, pluralisation, and punctuation. For example, sentences often lack commas after introductory phrases or feature run-on structures. To progress, the writer needs to develop a wider variety of complex structures with improved control, ensuring that basic grammar rules regarding agreement and verb forms are applied consistently.

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

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