Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-14

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 provided pie charts compare the proportion of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages in addition to English across six categories, in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, no other language category accounted for the largest share in both years. Students speaking two other languages and German only, each represented the smallest proportion in 2000. However, Students speaking Spanish, French and German only, individually contributed the least percentage in 2010.

In 2000, students speaking no other language accounted for 30%, comparing with 35% in 2010. This category was the most common in both years. However, British students speaking French only accounted for 15% in 2000. This number decreased to 10% in 2010. In addition, students speaking German only, reported 10% in 2000, which remained unchanged in 2010.

British students speaking Spanish only, on the other hand, accounted for 20% in 2000. This figure declined to half in 2010, comprising of 10%. Similarly, students having the knowledge of another language, contributed 15% of the total proportion. This number rose to 20% in 2010. Nevertheless, students speaking two other languages represented 10% in 2000, which climbed to 15% in 2010.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task well. You have successfully identified the main trends and made relevant comparisons between the two years. The overview is clear, although the phrasing 'no other language category accounted for the largest share' is slightly confusing; it would be clearer to state that 'no other language' was the most common category. You have selected key data points to support your descriptions, such as the rise in students speaking two other languages and the decline in Spanish speakers. To reach a higher band, ensure your overview captures the most significant overall trends more precisely and avoid minor inaccuracies in data reporting.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed body paragraphs. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'on the other hand', and 'similarly' to link your sentences. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'accounted for', 'remained unchanged', and 'declined to half' are used effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'contributed the least percentage' (which is slightly awkward) and 'comprising of' (the verb 'comprise' should not be followed by 'of'). Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication of the data trends. Expanding your repertoire of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would further enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which demonstrates good control. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as the unnecessary comma in 'Students speaking Spanish, French and German only, individually contributed...' and the slightly awkward phrasing 'comparing with 35% in 2010' (which should be 'compared to'). Punctuation is generally accurate, and these minor errors do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as relative clauses or participle phrases, to demonstrate greater flexibility.

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

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