Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-16
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 5.5)
The pie charts illustrate proportions of British students in an university who were able to speak foreign languages along with English, in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, most of the students were unable to speak foreign language . The number of Spanish and French speakers decreased over time while the number of students who speak German remained constant. The number of students who spoke one and two foreign language increased.
In 2000, only 30% of students were unable to speak any other foreign language which increased to 35% in 2010 while the students who spoke Spanish and French were 20% and 15% respectively which were drop to 10% and 10% . The students who spoke German remained on 10% .
The students who can spoke two foreign language increased to 15% from 10% and the students who
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is incomplete and ends abruptly mid-sentence. You have attempted to compare the data between 2000 and 2010, but the summary lacks a clear overview of the most significant trends. Furthermore, there are inaccuracies in the data reporting; for instance, you stated that 30% of students were unable to speak a foreign language in 2000, whereas the chart indicates 20%. To improve, ensure you complete the task by providing a full analysis and double-check your data extraction against the visual information provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall' and 'In 2000', but the flow is somewhat mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of a concluding sentence or a fully developed final paragraph makes the overall structure feel disjointed. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph is fully developed before moving to the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'number of students' and 'increased/decreased' throughout the text. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or precise academic collocations. Additionally, there are minor errors in word choice, such as 'in an university' (should be 'at a university'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a significant proportion', and ensure articles are used correctly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the students who can spoke' (incorrect tense), 'which were drop to' (incorrect passive voice construction), and 'two foreign language' (missing pluralisation). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around punctuation marks. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when describing data. Reviewing basic sentence construction and proofreading for small errors like missing plurals will help improve your accuracy significantly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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