Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23
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 chart illustrates the proportion of British students in the university of England who knew other languages other than english over the span of 10 years.
Students who can only speak english showed increase percentage upto 5% in 2010 and people who can speak french were reduced to 5%; meaning; only 10% can now speak french in 2010 meanwhile in 2000 it was 15% and the people who can speak german language only remained the same over a decade. People who can speak spanish only also reduced to 10% over the span of 10 years. British students who knew other language were 15% before 10 years and now its 20% 10 years later. And the students who knew more than one knowledge also show increase up to 5% and goes from 10% to 15% in 2010.
In summary; people who knew specific languages showed decline over the time period of 10 years but showed significant increase for one or more other languages.
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, but the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview. While you identify the trends for each language, the comparison between 2000 and 2010 is occasionally confusing, particularly in the phrasing 'reduced to 5%; meaning; only 10% can now speak french'. The data interpretation is generally accurate, but the lack of a distinct, well-synthesized overview paragraph makes it difficult to grasp the 'big picture' immediately. To improve, ensure you group data logically rather than listing every category sequentially, and provide a clear summary of the most significant changes in the introduction or conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a standard structure. However, the flow between sentences is often repetitive, relying heavily on 'and' or simple sentence structures. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the frequent use of semicolons which are not always used correctly. Referencing is occasionally unclear, for example, 'the people who can speak german language only remained the same'. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'conversely', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') to connect your ideas more fluidly and improve the logical progression of your report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use phrases like 'people who can speak' and 'showed increase', which limits the sophistication of your writing. There are also some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'more than one knowledge' instead of 'more than one language'. To improve, aim to use more precise reporting verbs and nouns (e.g., 'fluctuate', 'decline', 'proportion', 'segment') and avoid repeating the same sentence structures. Expanding your range of synonyms will help you describe the data with more precision and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect article usage ('in the university of England'), subject-verb agreement, and awkward phrasing ('before 10 years and now its 20% 10 years later'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly the misuse of semicolons. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct tense usage for past data, and refining your punctuation to improve the overall clarity and professionalism of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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