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 pie charts illustrates the proportions of British students able to speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, in both years most of the British students spoke only English language followed by Spanish and another language.
Approximately 30% British students spoke only English language in 2000 and 35% students able to spoke English speech in 2010. In 2000 and 2010 British students able to spoke in order to 15% and 20%. Around 10% students used two other languages in 2000 while after 10 years 15% students spoke two other languages other than English. In 2000 approximately 20% students able to spoke Spanish language and later 2010 around 10% students used this language.
Around 15% British students only spoke French other than English in 2000 while after 10 years it decreased the proportion and marked up at 10%. In both years only 10% students able to spoke German language other than English.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by summarising the proportions of British students able to speak foreign languages in 2000 and 2010. An overview is provided, stating that most students spoke only English followed by Spanish and other languages. However, the response suffers from several inaccurate or confusing data reporting instances. For example, the student writes that '35% students able to spoke English speech in 2010' and mentions percentages such as 'in order to 15% and 20%' which are unclear and confusing. Furthermore, the details regarding specific languages like Spanish and French contain inaccuracies when compared to typical chart data for this common prompt. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of precision and awkward data handling mean the response only partially satisfies the requirements, warranting a Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organised into four paragraphs, including an introduction and an overall summary statement. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by repetitive and mechanical phrasing, such as 'In 2000 and 2010 British students able to spoke...' and 'while after 10 years'. Cohesive devices are used in a very basic and repetitive manner, and referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to follow the logical links between sentences. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of data within the body paragraphs lacks a clear, logical structure. Overall, the organisational framework shows some structure but fails to achieve a clear overall progression, aligning with Band 5.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical range is limited and repetitive. The student frequently repeats simple vocabulary such as 'proportions', 'students', 'spoke', 'languages', and 'years'. There are also frequent awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'spoke English speech' instead of 'spoke only English', and 'decreased the proportion and marked up at 10%' instead of 'decreased to 10%'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with significant inaccuracy, causing some strain for the reader. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the overall lexical control remains at a Band 5.0 level due to the narrow range and frequent phrasing errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The student demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures. Simple sentences dominate, and attempts at more complex structures or verb forms frequently result in major errors, such as 'students able to spoke' (incorrect verb tense/form) and 'it decreased the proportion and marked up at 10%' (awkward voice and preposition use). Frequent grammatical errors occur throughout the text, particularly with verb complementation and prepositions, which occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Given the lack of accurate complex structures and the high frequency of errors, the grammar fits the Band 4.0 or 5.0 descriptors, comfortably settling at a 4.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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