Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-17
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 compare the proportions of British students at university in England who could speak other languages rather than English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, Spanish had dominance in both periods of 2000 and 2010, while no other language students declined in 2010 by the margin of 10%. two other languages, and another language increased their contribution by 5% in 2010. German was the only language whose proportion remained constant in both eras.
In 2000 and 2010, Spanish remained the highest proportion, while there was only a 5% increase in 2010 and a surge from 30 to 35%. French and another language had the same position at the start of the 21st century, but at the end of the first decade, another language outweighed French.
In contrast, the percentage of no other language students falling back in the next ten years was from 20 to 10%. Another language students showed a slight increase of 5% at the end of the decade. German was the only language whose speakers remained stable in both periods.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the dominance of Spanish and the stability of German. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, the statement that 'no other language students declined' is confusingly phrased, and the description of the data is occasionally inaccurate or repetitive. While you have attempted to make comparisons, the interpretation of the 'two other languages' category is unclear. To improve, ensure that each data point mentioned is clearly linked to the correct category and year, and avoid contradictory statements about trends. The overview is present but could be more precise in summarizing the most significant shifts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'In contrast' and 'Overall' to signal shifts in focus. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'no other language students falling back'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to distinguish between the specific categories provided in the charts. Improving the use of cohesive devices to link sentences more smoothly would enhance the overall readability and logical progression of your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dominance', 'proportion', and 'remained constant'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'falling back' to describe a decrease in percentage, and 'another language' which is used repetitively and sometimes confusingly. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. Focusing on more academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing would significantly strengthen this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'no other language students declined' (which is syntactically awkward) and 'two other languages, and another language increased their contribution'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor issues with sentence construction that occasionally impede the flow. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the structure of complex sentences to avoid ambiguity.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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