Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

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 students who spoke no other language 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 it 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 from 20 to 10%. Another language students experienced an upward trend and showed a slight increase of 5% at the end of the decade. The contribution of German speakers remained stable in both periods.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided relevant comparisons between the two years. You covered all categories, including the decline in 'no other language' and the stability of German. However, the report could be improved by ensuring the data is presented more accurately. For instance, you mentioned that Spanish 'fluctuated from 30 to 35%', but the charts show a clear increase from 30% to 35%. Additionally, the phrase 'another language outweighed French' is slightly vague; specifying the exact percentages would provide a more precise summary. Overall, you have addressed the requirements of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Overall', and 'while' to link ideas effectively. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the phrase 'another language students' is a bit awkward and impacts the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis, which helps the reader follow the progression of your argument. Further practice in using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the cohesion of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'fluctuated', and 'outweighed'. However, there are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'increased their contribution' or 'another language students', which sound slightly unnatural in this context. You attempt to use less common vocabulary, but some collocations are not entirely accurate. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends and data points, and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for a formal report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow, and your grammar is generally accurate. There are a few minor errors, such as 'in both periods of 2000 and 2010' (which is slightly redundant) and 'at the end of the first decade' (which is a bit wordy). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on refining complex sentence structures and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.