Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-19
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 the percentage of British students who were able to speak other languages in front of English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, the highest percentage of students did not know other language, while the lowest proportion of students spoken only German and two other languages, However other languages ratio was slightly increased.
British students who did not know other languages ,which ratio was 30% in 2000, after that it rose 5% in 2010. Students who know another languages their ratio was 15% in 2000, after that it rose 5% in 2010. Spanish spoken by 20% students in 2000, which decreased 10% in 2010. Students who know French only their ratio was 15% in 2010, which decreased 5% in 2010.
Students who spoken only German language their ratio was 10% in 2000, which remain same in 2010. In 2010, Spanish and French was similar percentage of spoken by British students.
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 covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is inconsistent and contains factual errors. For instance, you state that French decreased by 5% in 2010, but the data shows it increased from 10% to 20%. Additionally, the summary of the 'other languages' category is vague. While you identify the main trends, the lack of precision in reporting the data points hinders the overall task achievement. To improve, ensure that every figure mentioned is accurately cross-referenced with the visual data provided. The overview is present but lacks clarity regarding the most significant changes over the decade.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the phrase 'after that it rose' or the misuse of 'However' at the start of a sentence. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the third paragraph where data points are listed without clear logical connections. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'meanwhile') and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'this figure', 'the former') is used to connect sentences more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. There are several awkward collocations, such as 'in front of English' (instead of 'in addition to') and 'other languages ratio' (instead of 'the proportion of other languages'). You rely on repetitive phrasing like 'their ratio was' and 'students who know'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', 'a significant proportion', or 'a marginal increase'. Expanding your range of synonyms will help you describe the data more naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'students spoken only German' (should be 'students who spoke'), 'Spanish spoken by 20% students' (should be 'Spanish was spoken by 20% of students'), and 'French was similar percentage' (should be 'French had a similar percentage'). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are problematic throughout. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring that verbs are correctly conjugated, especially when describing past trends.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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