Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-08
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 5.0)
The charts below summarize data on the percentage of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other different languages apart from English,in 2000 and 2010.
Earlier, in 2000,about 30 percent of students could not speak any other languages other than English and more students were unable to speak other languages for about a decade raising the percentage to 35 percent in 2010.
Students were able to speak two other languages with an upward trend of 5 percent over a decade.
On the other hand,German language was the least spoken language among students in 2000 with 10 percent and had no significant change for a decade thereby maintaining its position of 10 percent in the period under review.
Spanish had 50 percent downward trend over a decade depicting a significant decline in the period under review review compared to French language which had only 25 percent decline over a decade.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the trends for 'no other language' and 'two other languages', the description of the specific languages (Spanish, French, German) is confusing. For instance, stating Spanish had a '50 percent downward trend' is ambiguous; it is unclear if you mean a 50% decrease in the proportion or a change from 50% to 25%. Furthermore, the report lacks a clear overview or summary statement that highlights the most significant trends across the decade. To improve, ensure that data points are clearly linked to the years provided and avoid vague terminology when describing changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into short paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by the lack of clear transitions between ideas. While you use some cohesive devices like 'On the other hand', the connection between sentences is often mechanical. The paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the report is clumped together, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of information. To improve, use more varied linking words and ensure each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the data, such as grouping the 'number of languages' data separately from the 'specific languages' data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'upward trend', 'significant decline', and 'period under review'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'other different languages' (redundant) and 'raising the percentage' (which should be 'increasing'). The repetition of 'over a decade' at the end of several sentences makes the writing feel somewhat monotonous. To reach a higher band, try to use more precise synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and avoid redundant phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'more students were unable to speak other languages for about a decade raising the percentage', which is a run-on sentence that lacks clarity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'English,in'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. Focus on using commas correctly and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically sound by using appropriate conjunctions and relative clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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