Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

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 begin with, it becomes clear noticeable that, At first, there are seven options available firstly, it is no other language spoken were 30% in 2000 and increased to 35% in 2010. Next, French spoken were 15% in 2000 and decreased to 10% in 2010. Later, German spoken was 10% in 2000 and remained constant in 2010 which is 10%. Meanwhile, Spanish spoken was 20% in 2000 and reduced to 10% in 2010. Eventually, Another language spoken was 15% in 2000 and rose to 20% in 2010 which is increased to 5%. Finally, Two other languages were spoken 10% in 2000 and increased to 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

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts and makes relevant comparisons. However, the reporting is somewhat mechanical, listing data points rather than synthesising trends effectively. While the overview is present, it is quite brief and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. To improve, you should group the data into categories (e.g., languages that increased vs. decreased) rather than listing each one individually. The inclusion of all categories is good, but the analysis remains at a surface level, which limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by repetitive and sometimes awkward linking words. Phrases like 'To begin with', 'Next', 'Later', and 'Eventually' are used in a mechanical, list-like fashion, which makes the progression feel unnatural. Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as unnecessary commas after 'that' and 'At first', which disrupt the reading flow. To improve, use a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that sentences are linked logically rather than just sequentially.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely heavily on basic structures like 'spoken were' and 'increased to'. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'the highest language which spoken was', which is grammatically and lexically imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data description, such as 'accounted for', 'experienced a decline', or 'remained stable', and avoid repeating the same sentence structures throughout the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and sentence structure. Examples include 'The pie chart, illustrates the data shows' (redundant verb) and 'French spoken were 15%' (incorrect passive construction). Many sentences are simple, and attempts at more complex structures often lead to errors, such as 'which is increased to 5%'. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement. Ensure that your sentences are complete and avoid unnecessary punctuation that breaks the grammatical flow.

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

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