Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-26
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 5.0)
The pie chart, illustrates the data shows the proportions of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages in two different years in 2000 and 2010.
To embark with, it becomes clearly noticeable that, At first, there are seven options avaliable firstly, it is no other language spoken were 30% in 2000 and increased by 35% in 2010. Next, French spoken were 15% in 2000 and decreased by 10% in 2010. Later, German spoken was 10% in 2000 and remains constant in 2010 which is 10%. Meanwhile, Spanish spoken was 20% in 2000 and reduced by 10% in 2010. Eventually, Another language spoken was 15% in 2000 and rise by 20% in 2010 which is increased by 5%. Finally, Two other languages were spoken 10% in 2000 and increased by 15% in 2010.
Overall it becomes apparent that, the highest language which spoken was No other language which means people prefer English language more over other languages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is flawed due to significant mathematical errors. For example, you state that 'no other language' increased by 35% in 2010, when the chart shows an increase from 30% to 35%. Similarly, you claim French 'decreased by 10%' when it went from 15% to 10%. These inaccuracies misrepresent the data. While you identify the main trend—that the majority of students speak no other language—the reporting of individual figures is inconsistent and confusing. To improve, ensure you accurately calculate the difference between figures and present them clearly rather than listing every category in a repetitive, mechanical fashion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by repetitive and unnatural cohesive devices. Phrases like 'To embark with', 'Next', 'Later', and 'Eventually' are used in a mechanical way that does not reflect the logical progression of the data. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the changes in percentages. While there is an overall structure, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive sentence structure make the text feel disjointed. Improving the variety of transition signals and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic verbs like 'spoken', 'increased', and 'decreased'. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the highest language which spoken was', which is grammatically awkward and imprecise. You attempt to use some descriptive language, but the range is insufficient to convey the data with precision. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider variety of verbs and nouns to describe trends, such as 'remained stable', 'witnessed a decline', or 'accounted for', and avoid repeating the same sentence structures throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with article usage ('the pie chart, illustrates'), subject-verb agreement ('French spoken were'), and awkward phrasing ('no other language spoken were 30%'). The sentence structures are predominantly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas used throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and reducing the reliance on repetitive, error-prone structures. Proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is essential.
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.