Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-22
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 7.5)
The two pie charts illustrate the percentage of British students who could speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010.
Overall, the proportion of students who spoke no other language increased, while the percentage of those who spoke Spanish only saw a significant decline. French only also decreased over the period.
In 2000, 30% of British students spoke no other language. This was followed by 20% who spoke Spanish only, making it the most popular foreign language. 15% spoke French only and another 15% spoke another language. German only and two other languages both accounted for 10% each.
A decade later in 2010, the percentage of students with no other language rose to 35%, remaining the largest category. In contrast, the proportion of Spanish only speakers halved to 10%. Similarly, French only speakers dropped to 10%. German only remained stable at 10%. Interestingly, the figures for students speaking another language and two other languages both increased, to 20% and 15% respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear overview and supporting the summary with accurate figures from the charts. The main features are successfully identified and compared, such as the increase in students speaking no other language and the significant decline in Spanish only speakers. For instance, the student notes that 30% spoke no other language in 2000, rising to 35% in 2010, which matches the visual data perfectly. All reported data points, including French, German, and multiple languages, are accurate and properly contextualised. There are no notable omissions or misinterpretations of the visual information, demonstrating a well-developed response that fully satisfies the requirements of Academic Task 1.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organised into four distinct paragraphs, following a standard introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the specific data for each year. Information and ideas are logically sequenced, allowing the reader to follow the trends easily. Cohesive devices are used appropriately without being obtrusive, with phrases like 'Overall', 'This was followed by', 'In contrast', and 'Similarly' helping to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used effectively, ensuring each section has a clear and distinct focus. Reference words are handled well, and the progression from the year 2000 to 2010 is smooth and coherent throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The student uses a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for this task, successfully incorporating terms related to data and trends such as 'proportion', 'significant decline', 'accounted for', and 'respectively'. Word choice is generally precise, as seen in phrases like 'remaining the largest category' and 'halved to 10%'. There are occasional attempts at less common lexical items ('significant decline', 'stable'), which are handled effectively. Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate throughout the response. While the vocabulary is not excessively sophisticated or varied, it fully meets the demands of the task and allows for clear communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, featuring subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'making it the most popular foreign language' and 'while the percentage of those who spoke Spanish only saw a significant decline.' The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is handled correctly. Control of verb tenses is consistent, with the past simple tense correctly applied to historical chart data from 2000 and 2010. Errors are virtually non-existent, reflecting a high level of grammatical control and flexibility that easily supports clear communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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