Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-13
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 charts below represent the proportions of British students at one university in England who were able to speak another language in addition to English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, the highest percentages of British students are not able to speak any other language other than English in both years.
Firstly, 30 to 35% of British students were not able to use other languages in the years 2000 and 2010. However, the students contained 15% knowledge of the French language in 2000 and another language. While German and two other languages remain steady at 10% in 2000. Furthermore, Spanish-language students understand 20% of British students, respectively.
Secondly, no other language had the significantly higher level, up to 35% in 2010, and Spanish or French and German languages are slightly common and remain stable up to 10%. Moreover, the 20% is another language, and 15% is two other languages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the main features of the charts comparing British students' language skills in 2000 and 2010. However, the task achievement is hindered in two main ways. First, the length requirement is NOT met, as the response contains only 148 words, falling slightly short of the 150-word minimum, which incurs a penalty. Second, some data interpretations are confused or unclear, such as stating that 'Spanish-language students understand 20% of British students, respectively' or 'no other language had the significantly higher level, up to 35% in 2010'. While the main trends are touched upon, the data selection and comparison lack full clarity and precision, aligning the response with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay uses some basic sequencing markers such as 'Firstly', 'However', and 'Secondly' to structure the response. However, paragraphing is somewhat disjointed and ideas are clumped together rather than logically developed. The progression of information is difficult to follow at times, especially in the body paragraphs where data points are listed without a clear overarching structure. Reference words and cohesive devices are occasionally used inaccurately, which disrupts the flow of reading. Overall organisation is visible, but the lack of a clear progression and mechanical use of cohesive devices places this at Band 5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, including terms like 'proportions', 'percentages', 'languages', and 'stable'. However, the range is limited and there are awkward lexical choices and collocations, such as 'the students contained 15% knowledge' and 'Spanish-language students understand 20% of British students'. These inaccuracies reflect a restricted lexical control. While communication is attempted, the frequent word choice errors mean the vocabulary cannot achieve a higher score. It fits the Band 5 descriptor where the range is limited and noticeable errors occur in word choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using clauses with 'while' and relative clauses. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'are not able to speak any other language other than English', 'the highest percentages ... are not able', and 'had the significantly higher level'. These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Although the writer attempts complex structures, they are frequently faulty or unnatural. This demonstrates the control typical of Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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