Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The two pie chart illustrate the proportion of British learners at one educational institute in the United Kingdom who were able to speak different languages additionally to English in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, it is evident that students who were not able to speak other language and who could speak Spanish these categories recorded the highest proportion of British students. After that it saw a increase. However, German and students who were able to speak two other languages they had the lowest share during the period.

To begin with, British students who were not know other language it accounted had the largest share of United Kingdom students at 30% in 2000, it increased to 35% in 2010. Spanish language was only speak 20% students, it saw a decline stood to 10% in 2010.

Turning to the next details, learners who were able to speak French that was 15% in 2000 and Another language stood at 15% in 2000, French climbed to 20% in 2010. Two other languages and German only could speak 10% in 2000, it reached a peak of 15% in 2010.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover the main features of the two pie charts illustrating the proportions of British students speaking other languages in 2000 and 2010. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, mentioning the highest and lowest categories, but it is somewhat vague and poorly articulated ("After that it saw a increase"). Furthermore, there are several data inaccuracies and misreadings compared to the visual data. For instance, the student states that learners who were able to speak French stood at 15% in 2000 and climbed to 20% in 2010 (French was actually 15% in 2000, but in 2010 'Another language' was 20% while French was 10%). Similarly, German and two other languages are confused. While the response addresses the prompt generally, these data inaccuracies and under-developed comparisons place it at Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organised into four paragraphs, following a logical introduction, overview, and body paragraph structure. However, progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and awkward linking devices. Phrases like "To begin with" and "Turning to the next details" attempt to structure the writing, but the internal cohesion within sentences is frequently faulty. For example, sentences are often strung together with comma splices ("Spanish language was only speak 20% students, it saw a decline stood to 10% in 2010"). Referencing is sometimes unclear, and cohesive devices are inadequate or mechanically applied, resulting in a disjointed reading experience. This aligns closely with the Band 5 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, revolving around standard terms like "proportion," "students," "speak," "increase," and "decline." There are numerous word choice and collocation errors throughout the text, such as "educational institute" instead of institution, "languages additionally to English" instead of in addition to English, and "Spanish language was only speak 20% students." Attempts to use less common vocabulary are either inaccurate or marred by severe grammatical interference. While the language is minimally adequate to convey the general topic, the frequent lexical errors and limited range restrict the score to a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent and systematic errors in tense, voice, word order, and clause structure. Examples include "The two pie chart illustrate" (pluralisation error), "British students who were not know other language it accounted had" (severe grammatical breakdown), and "French climbed to 20% in 2010. Two other languages and German only could speak 10% in 2010" (passive/active confusion). These persistent errors frequently cause difficulty for the reader and obscure meaning, matching the Band 5 descriptors.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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