Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The pie charts illustrate the proportions of British students at a university in England who could speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, the proportions of students who were able to speak other languages such as, French, German and Spanish were higher in 2000 than 2010, while German being the only exception. But the figure was higher for those who can speak two other languages in 2010, whereas the figures for other categories were different in the both years.

In 2000, 30% of people were not able to speak any other language except English, whereas the figure for the students who can speak two other languages stood at 10%. The proportions of students who could speak Spanish, French and German were 20%, 15% and 10%, respectively, while 15% students could speak another language in England.

In 2010, a substantial proportion of students could not speak any other language, standing at 35%. However, the proportions of students who could speak Spanish, French and German were equal, at 10% each. The proportion stood at 20% for students able to speak one additional language, while those proficient in two other languages accounted for 15%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all requirements of the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons. You successfully highlighted the shift in language proficiency between 2000 and 2010. However, the overview is slightly confusing; for instance, stating 'German being the only exception' is inaccurate as the data shows German decreased from 10% to 10% (no change) or 10% to 10% depending on the chart interpretation, and the comparison of 'two other languages' is clear, but the overall summary lacks a cohesive synthesis of the trends. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview clearly captures the most significant trends rather than listing specific categories.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'however', and 'while' to connect ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the overview is a bit clunky, specifically the phrase 'the figures for other categories were different in the both years', which is vague. The progression of information is generally clear, but the logical flow between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother to better guide the reader through the data comparisons.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'substantial', and 'proficient'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'the figures for other categories were different in the both years', which is slightly unnatural. You also repeat 'proportions of students' and 'could speak' frequently. To improve, try to vary your verbs and nouns to avoid repetition and use more precise collocations. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'In 2000, 30% of people were not able to speak any other language except English, whereas the figure for the students who can speak two other languages stood at 10%'. There are some tense inconsistencies, such as using 'can' instead of 'could' when referring to the year 2000. Additionally, there are minor errors like 'in the both years' (should be 'in both years'). Despite these errors, your grammar is generally accurate and does not impede communication, and you show a good command of comparative structures.

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

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