Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-05

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 presented chart enumerates how the proportions of British students at one university in England varied from the year 2000 to 2010. The data is measured in percentage.

Overall the proportion of students who could speak any additional language increased over the period. Meanwhile, Spanish and French become less common, whereas the percentage of student speaking another language or two other language increased.

In 2000, 30% of British students could not speak any other than English, making this the largest proportion. Spanish was the most popular additional language, accounting for 20% of students. French and other language were each spoken by 15%, while German and two other language were both at 10%.

By 2010, the percentage of students who spoke no other language had risen to 35%. In contrast, the proportion speaking Spanish halved from 20% to 10%, while the figure for French fell from 15% to 10%. German remained unchanged at 10%. The proportion speaking another language increased from 15% to 20%, and the figure for those speaking two other languages rose from 10% to 15%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have successfully identified the main features and provided relevant comparisons between the two years. The overview clearly highlights the general trends, such as the increase in students speaking no additional language and the decline in French and Spanish speakers. Data is accurately selected and used to support the descriptions. To reach a higher band, ensure that all categories are clearly distinguished; for instance, you mention 'other language' and 'another language' which could be confusing. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'By 2010' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the information. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the general overview to specific details in 2000 and then 2010. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different time periods. The structure is clear and easy to follow, which is a hallmark of a well-organized response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'accounting for', 'remained unchanged', and 'in contrast' are used well. However, there are some minor issues with pluralization and word choice, such as 'student speaking' (should be 'students') and 'two other language' (should be 'languages'). While the vocabulary is adequate and allows for precision, incorporating a slightly wider range of synonyms or more sophisticated collocations would elevate the score. The current range is sufficient for the task but lacks the flexibility required for the highest bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'Spanish and French become less common' (should be 'became') and the aforementioned pluralization errors ('two other language'). These errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. You have good control over punctuation and sentence structure, which allows for a fluent reading experience. To improve, focus on consistent tense usage when describing past data and ensure noun-number agreement.

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

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