Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-31
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 given pie charts depicts the percentage of British students who were able to speak other languages in addition to English at one university in England, in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, it had been seen that the majority of students in 2000 and 2010, were not able to speak any other language except English. Initially, Spanish was very popular in 2000, although in 2010 most people can spoke French only.
In 2000, 30% of students were not able to speak other language, and the figure rose to 35% in 2010. Moreover, 20% of British students can spoke Spanish in 2000 and the figure decreased to half in 2010.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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. Because the response is only 108 words, the analysis is incomplete. You have identified some main features, such as the percentage of students not speaking other languages and the decline in Spanish speakers, but you have failed to report on all categories shown in the charts (e.g., French, German, and 'two or more' languages). To improve, you must ensure you cover all data points provided in the visual and provide a more comprehensive summary that meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into short paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the progression of ideas is limited due to the brevity of the text. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'Overall' and 'Moreover', but the connection between sentences is sometimes mechanical. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words to connect your comparisons more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'very popular' and 'the figure rose'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'most people can spoke French only', which is grammatically and lexically awkward. To improve, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuated', or 'remained stable', and ensure you use the correct word forms when discussing trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of your writing. For instance, 'The given pie charts depicts' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'most people can spoke French' (incorrect modal verb usage). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence structures and ensure your verb tenses are consistent when describing past data. Proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and tense consistency would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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