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. In addition, the percentage of students who could speak Spanish increased, while the figures for French and German remained relatively stable.
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 remained 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 candidate attempts to address the prompt by summarising the main features of the charts regarding British students' language abilities in 2000 and 2010. An overview is provided, noting that the highest percentages could not speak another language and mentioning trends for Spanish, French, and German. However, the data interpretation is frequently confused and inaccurate. For instance, stating that 'Spanish-language students understand 20% of British students' or that 'no other language had the significantly higher level, up to 35% in 2010' reveals severe misinterpretations of the provided figures. The data points are tangled, demonstrating only a partial understanding of the visual information. Consequently, the response falls into Band 5 due to the limited and partially inaccurate reporting of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is organized into paragraphs with introductory and sequential markers like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly'. However, the overall progression is extremely difficult to follow due to convoluted and grammatically confused sentences. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and often inappropriately, such as 'Furthermore, Spanish-language students understand 20% of British students, respectively.' Referencing is unclear, and ideas do not flow logically from one to the next, which creates significant friction for the reader in understanding how the details relate to the visual charts. This level of organization and cohesive control aligns best with Band 5 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is very basic and often strained, showing limited control over lexical selection and collocation. Examples such as 'students contained 15% knowledge', 'Spanish-language students understand 20%', and 'had the significantly higher level' demonstrate inappropriate word choices and unnatural phrasing. While the candidate attempts to discuss percentages and languages, the inaccuracies in word choice frequently impede clear communication. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the overall lexical range and accuracy are restricted, warranting a Band 5 score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The candidate attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak throughout the response. Frequent errors in structure, preposition use, and clause construction cause confusion, such as in 'the highest percentages of British students are not able to speak any other language other than English in both years' (tense consistency issues) and 'no other language had the significantly higher level, up to 35% in 2010, and Spanish or French and German languages are slightly common'. These errors frequently cause difficulty for the reader and reflect a limited range of reliable structures, fitting the Band 5 criteria.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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