Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-29
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The charts below show the proportions of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages in addition to English, in 2000 and 2010
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 7.5)
The two pie chart compares the percentages of British students at university in england who could speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, the proportion of students who spoke no other language remained the largest category in both years and increased slightly, while the percentage of students speaking French only and Spanish only declined, the figures for those who able to speaks another language and two other language rose.
In 2000, 30% of students spoke only English, making this the biggest group. Spanish was most common additional language at 20%, followed by French only and another language both at 15%. meanwhile, 10% of students spoke German only and the same proportion could speak two other languages.
By 2010, the proportion of students who could speak only English had increased by 5 points from 30% in 2000 to 35% in 2010. The percentage speaking another language rose from 15% to 20% while those who able to communicate in two other languages also grew, from 10% to 15%. In contrast, the proportion of students speaking Spanish only fell from 20% to 10%, matching the figures for French only and German Only, both of which accounted for 10% in 2010.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main features and providing relevant comparisons between the two years. You have successfully highlighted the key trends, such as the increase in students speaking only English and the decline in Spanish speakers. The overview is clear and captures the essential shifts in the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurately represented; for instance, you mentioned that the proportion of students speaking 'another language' rose from 15% to 20%, which is accurate, but ensure that all categories are consistently described to avoid any ambiguity in the comparison of the two charts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that detail the data for 2000 and 2010 respectively. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In 2000', 'By 2010', and 'In contrast' helps to guide the reader through the information smoothly. The progression of ideas is logical, and the paragraphing is appropriate for this type of report. To improve further, try to vary the cohesive devices slightly more to avoid repetitive sentence starters, although the current usage is effective and clear.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately, including terms like 'proportion', 'accounted for', and 'declined'. There are some minor issues with capitalization (e.g., 'German Only') and occasional word choice errors, such as 'the two pie chart compares' (should be 'charts compare'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more sophisticated collocations or synonyms for 'increased' and 'decreased' would elevate the lexical range. Overall, the language used is precise enough to communicate the data clearly without impeding understanding.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'those who able to speaks' (should be 'those who were able to speak') and 'the two pie chart compares' (subject-verb agreement). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the text. To achieve a higher band, focus on ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement and correct verb tense usage when describing past data. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would also help demonstrate better control over grammatical range.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.