Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-10
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 5.0)
The two pie charts compares the percentage of british students, who are able to communicate in more than one languages in addition to English at one university in England, by the period 2000 and 2010.
Overall, all languages experienced a gradual increase over the years, while german being the only expeption, virtually show no change throughout the period. No other language dominated the charts whereas spanish speaking community decreased in 2010.
In 2000, no other language was the leading amongst the other languages, increased from 30% to 35% in 2010. Followed by, another language was ranked second and experienced a slight increase from 15% to 20%. Moreover, similarly, british students were able to communicate in two other languages, rose from 10% in 2000 to 15% in 2010.
By stark contrast, germen speakers virtually had no change throughout the entire period and remained at 10% in 2000 and 2010. However, french speakers decired gradually from 15% to 10% in 2010.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is significantly hampered by inaccurate reporting of the data. For example, you state that 'no other language' increased from 30% to 35%, which is a misinterpretation of the category labels. Furthermore, the claim that 'all languages experienced a gradual increase' is factually incorrect, as French decreased and German remained stable. While you attempt to make comparisons, the confusion between category names and the actual data points prevents a clear overview. To improve, ensure you carefully distinguish between the labels provided in the legend and the numerical values represented in the pie charts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. For instance, 'Followed by, another language was ranked second' is grammatically awkward and does not effectively link the ideas. The transition 'By stark contrast' is used to introduce the German data, but since the change was minimal, this connector feels disproportionate to the actual data. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression within paragraphs is weakened by the inaccurate data reporting, making the overall argument difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic terms like 'increased', 'decreased', and 'remained'. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'expeption', 'germen', and 'decired', which detract from the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 response. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic intent, it lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher band. To improve, focus on using a wider range of synonyms for change (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'declined') and ensure accurate spelling of key terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The two pie charts compares') and incorrect preposition usage ('by the period 2000 and 2010'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage would significantly improve the quality of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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