Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-03

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 7.0)

The pie charts illustrate the percentages of British students who were able to speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, it is evident that the proportion of students who spoke no other language was the highest in both years. In contrast, German was one of the least common languages spoken. Furthermore, there were noticeable changes in the percentages of students speaking Spanish and another language over the given period.

In 2000, 30% of British students could not speak any other language, and this figure increased slightly to 35% in 2010. Spanish was the most popular foreign language in 2000, accounting for 20%, but its proportion declined significantly to 10% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of students speaking French only fell from 15% to 10%.

On the other hand, the proportion of students who spoke another language increased from 15% to 20%. Likewise, those who could speak two other languages rose from 10% to 15%. Meanwhile, the percentage of students speaking German only remained unchanged at 10% in both years.

Overall, no other language was the largest category in both years, while German only remained unchanged. The most significant changes were seen in Spanish, which declined, and another language, which increased.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided a clear overview. You accurately reported the data for both 2000 and 2010 and made relevant comparisons, such as noting the decline in Spanish speakers and the increase in those speaking 'another language'. The information is well-selected and supports the summary effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide a more analytical comparison rather than just listing figures. For example, you could explicitly contrast the growth in multi-lingual students against the decline in specific language learners to provide a more cohesive narrative of the trends observed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', 'Similarly', and 'On the other hand' effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of information. The progression of ideas is clear throughout the text. To improve further, ensure that the transition between sentences is always smooth; occasionally, the structure feels slightly repetitive when describing each category individually, but overall, the flow is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'accounted for', 'declined significantly', and 'remained unchanged' are used accurately. You avoid repetition by using synonyms where possible. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks a wider range of sophisticated or less common lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations or varied ways to describe trends, such as 'experienced a marginal increase' or 'underwent a notable shift'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is handled well. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher band, you could experiment with more complex grammatical structures, such as using participle clauses or more varied subordinating conjunctions to link your ideas more fluidly. For instance, instead of 'Spanish was the most popular... but its proportion declined', you could write 'Having been the most popular language in 2000, Spanish saw its proportion decline significantly by 2010'.

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

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