Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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 6.5)

The given pie charts delineate the results of the percentage of British students able to speak languages other than English in 2000 and in 2010. The number of students who could speak only English increased from 2000 to 2010.

Overall, the proportion of students who could speak languages other than English was higher in 2000 compared to 2010. Spanish, French and German changed over the period of 10 years. Furthermore, Spanish remained the most widely spoken additional language in both years.

Firstly, in 2000, 30% of British students were unable to speak any language other than English. Spanish was the most common additional language, accounting for 20% of the students. Moreover, French and another language were spoken by 15% of the students, while only 10% could speak German. The last 10% were able to speak two other languages.

Secondly, by 2010, the percentage of students who could speak only English had risen to 35%. Meanwhile, the students who could speak Spanish only fell to 10% and French speakers rose to 20%. Additionally the students who could speak only Spanish stayed constant at 10%. In contrast, the proportion of students who could speak two other languages rose from 10% to 15%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the charts and makes relevant comparisons. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For example, you state that Spanish fell to 10% and then immediately claim it 'stayed constant at 10%', which is confusing and contradictory. Additionally, the description of French speakers rising to 20% is not supported by the provided data (which shows 15% in 2000 and 20% in 2010, but your phrasing is slightly imprecise). While you identify the main trends, the factual errors regarding the data points prevent a higher score. Ensure you double-check the figures against the visual information before finalizing your summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Meanwhile', and 'In contrast' to guide the reader through the information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the years. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by the contradictory statements mentioned in the task achievement section. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the internal consistency of the second body paragraph needs improvement to ensure the logical connection between sentences is maintained throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'delineate', 'proportion', 'accounting for', and 'constant'. There is some repetition of basic structures, and the word choice is functional rather than sophisticated. While you successfully use topic-specific vocabulary related to charts and statistics, there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic control. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically sound, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. For instance, 'The number of students who could speak only English increased' is a well-constructed sentence. However, there is a lack of variety in complex structures, and some phrasing is slightly repetitive. Punctuation is generally accurate. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of subordinate clauses and more sophisticated grammatical structures to demonstrate greater control.

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.