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 apart from English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, Spanish was most popular in both periods of 2000 and 2010, while the proportion of no other language students declined in 2010 by the margin of 10%. Speakers of 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 fluctuated 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 students who spoke no other language fell in the next ten years was from 20 to 10%. Another language students experienced an upward trend and showed a slight increase of 5% at the end of the decade. Contribution of German speakers remained stable in both periods.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 and makes relevant comparisons. You successfully identified the most popular language (Spanish) and the decline in the 'no other language' category. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by some inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you state that 'another language' and French had the same position in 2000, but the chart shows them at 10% and 15% respectively. Additionally, the phrasing 'fluctuated from 30 to 35%' is imprecise for a two-point comparison. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with greater precision and that comparisons are logically grounded in the provided figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast' and 'Overall', which help the flow. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'another language' being used as a noun phrase to describe a group of students. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that subjects are clearly defined would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'declined', 'constant', and 'outweighed'. There are some instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'no other language students' and 'another language students', which sound unnatural. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring that your word choices accurately reflect the data being described rather than repeating simple structures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'a fluctuated from 30 to 35%' (incorrect verb form) and 'the percentage of students who spoke no other language fell in the next ten years was from 20 to 10%' (clunky syntax). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed with correct punctuation and logical flow.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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