Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-28

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 compares the percentage of British students at the university of England who can speak different type of languages in addition to English, in between 2000 to 2010.

To begin with, 10% students speak German and other two languages in 2000 and 15% speak French and another language in the same year. Spanish was spoken by 20% students, whereas no other language was spoken by 30% university students in England.

Futhermore, in 2010, 10% students speak French and Spanish. 15% students speak two others language in England and 20% speak other language in the same year. In contrast, only 10% people speak German language.

Overall, it is clearly seen that most of the students speak SPANISH and French in England and many students speak different type of language in the country.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have attempted to report on the main features, the analysis is superficial and lacks a clear overview of the trends. The data provided in the text is sometimes confusing or inaccurate when compared to the visual information (e.g., the description of 2010 data is unclear). To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of the overall trends and include more precise comparisons between the two years. You must also ensure the response is of sufficient length to allow for a full development of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as 'To begin with' and 'Furthermore'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two years. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus that contributes to the overall summary of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic phrases like 'speak' and 'other language'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'different type of languages' and 'two others language', which hinder precision. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a more varied vocabulary to describe trends and proportions, such as 'accounted for', 'represented', 'a significant proportion', or 'the majority'. Expanding your range of collocations will help you convey information more accurately and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include '10% students speak' (missing 'of'), 'in between 2000 to 2010' (incorrect preposition usage), and 'two others language' (pluralization error). These errors are noticeable and occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that plural nouns are used correctly. Attempting more complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will also help improve your score in this criterion.

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

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