Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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 charts below illustrates the percentages of British students in a university in England who were able to speak another language other than English in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, it can be observed that no other language was by far the highest proportion overall. The second-largest percentage were Spanish and another language. Whereas, two other languages and German remained as the least preferred option during both years.

No other language option presented the highest percentage with 30% and 35% in 2000 and 2010, respectively. Followed by Spanish with 20% during 2000 and 25% in 2010. In adittion, another language represented 15% in 2000 and 20% in 2010.

Conversely, two other languages presented 10% in 2010 and 15% by 2010, respectively. Finally, German only represented the lowest percentage of language with 10% in both of years.

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 identified the main features and provided data for both years, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You have listed the figures but have not fully synthesised the information or made sufficient comparisons between the categories. To improve, ensure you provide a more detailed overview and extend your analysis of the trends. The under-length nature of the response means that the task is only partially addressed, as the depth of reporting is limited.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Conversely', and 'In addition' to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'two other languages presented 10% in 2010 and 15% by 2010', which contradicts the data provided in the prompt. Improving the logical flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used to show relationships rather than just listing data would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'highest percentage' and 'lowest percentage' repeatedly. There is also a spelling error ('adittion') and some awkward phrasing, such as 'no other language was by far the highest proportion'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary related to data description, such as 'the most prevalent category', 'a marginal increase', or 'remained stable'. Expanding your lexical range will help you describe trends more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'The charts below illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'in both of years' (incorrect prepositional phrase). Additionally, the sentence 'The second-largest percentage were Spanish' is grammatically incorrect. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions will significantly improve your grammatical accuracy.

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

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