Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-11

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 6.5)

The two pie charts compare the percentage of British students at an English University who could speak a foreign language in addition to English, in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, the proportion of students who spoke no others language increased over the decide, while the share who could speak Spanish or French declined. Other categories, such as German and multiple foreign languages, remained relatively minor throughout.

In 2000, 30% of students spoke no additional language, whereas Spanish was the most common foreign language, spoken by a fifth f students, followed by French at 15%. German speakers and those who knew two other languages each made up a smaller share, at around 10-15%.

By 2010, the picture had shifted noticeably. Students with no other language rose to 35%, becoming eve more dominant, while both Spanish and French speakers fell to just 10% each. German, meanwhile, remained broadly stable, and a small proportion continued to speak two language beside English.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons between 2000 and 2010. You successfully highlighted the increase in students speaking no additional language and the decline in Spanish and French speakers. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurately represented; for instance, your description of German and 'two other languages' as '10-15%' in 2000 is slightly imprecise given the visual data. Overall, the response is well-focused and covers all key features of the charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'meanwhile', and 'by 2010' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the general trends from the specific data points. The progression of ideas is clear throughout the text, and referencing is generally accurate. The structure is coherent and supports the overall purpose of the report well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly, using terms like 'proportion', 'declined', 'dominant', and 'broadly stable'. There are a few minor slips, such as 'decide' instead of 'decade' and 'eve' instead of 'even', which are likely typographical errors. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a slightly wider range of precise academic collocations would enhance the sophistication of the response. The current range is adequate for the task and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are clear and error-free, such as 'The two pie charts compare the percentage of British students...'. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'no others language' (should be 'no other language') and 'a fifth f students' (should be 'a fifth of students'). These errors are infrequent and do not cause difficulty for the reader. The control of punctuation and sentence structure is generally good, supporting a clear and professional tone.

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

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