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 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 was 30% in 2000 and increased to 35% in 2010. Next, French spoken was 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
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, including the proportions for both years and some comparisons. However, the report is largely a list of data points rather than a cohesive summary. While you have identified the key trends, the analysis lacks depth. For example, you mention that 'No other language' increased, but you do not effectively contrast this with the decline in specific languages like French or Spanish. To improve, focus on grouping the data by trends (e.g., languages that increased vs. those that decreased) rather than listing each category individually. This will help you achieve a more analytical tone suitable for an Academic Task 1 response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is repetitive and mechanical. You use a series of transition words like 'To begin with', 'Next', 'Later', and 'Eventually' in a way that feels forced rather than natural. This makes the flow of information feel like a list rather than a coherent report. Furthermore, the referencing is sometimes unclear; for instance, the sentence 'Another language spoken was 15% in 2000 and rose to 20% in 2010 which is increased to 5%' is confusingly phrased. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring they are used to link ideas logically, rather than just marking the start of a new sentence, will significantly improve your score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic structures like 'was [percentage] in [year] and [verb] to [percentage] in [year]'. There is also some awkward phrasing, such as 'the highest language which spoken was No other language', which is grammatically incorrect and imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'experienced a decline', 'remained stable', or 'accounted for'. You also need to work on word choice; for example, 'No other language' is a category label, not a language itself, so phrasing it as 'the proportion of students speaking no other language' would be more accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'The pie chart, illustrates the data shows' (unnecessary comma and redundant verbs), 'it becomes clear noticeable that' (incorrect collocation), and 'French spoken was 15%' (should be 'The proportion of students speaking French was...'). You rely almost exclusively on simple sentence structures. To improve, you should attempt to use more complex sentence forms, such as using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions (e.g., 'While the proportion of French speakers declined, the number of students speaking no other language rose'). Careful proofreading to remove redundant words and fix basic subject-verb agreement is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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