Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-24
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 5.5)
THE CHART BELOW ILLUSTRATE THE PROPORTION OF BRITISH STUDENTS THAT CAN SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH IN ONE PARTICULAR UNIVERSITY IN ENGLAND
IN 2000 AND 2010
The majority of British students in 2000 were not familiar with other languages. These students could speak only English, and the percentage of these students was 30%. On the other hand, the most widely spoken language among students who could speak another language was Spanish, at 20%. About 15% of students were interested in speaking French. The least commonly spoken languages among the students were German and two other languages, each accounting for 15%.
Now, let us move towards 2010 and see how language trends changed over the years.
In 2010, most students still could not speak another language apart from English. The percentage of these students increased to 35%. Throughout these years, students' interest in speaking German and French declined, with the proportion falling to 10% for each language.
Overall, a large proportion of students spoke only English throughout these years, while there was a decline in the proportion of students speaking French and German.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of both charts, but there is a notable factual inaccuracy regarding the data. When discussing the 2000 chart, the student states that German and two other languages each accounted for 15%, whereas the source text indicates that German only was 10% and 'two other languages' was 10%. Additionally, the student omits key categories such as Spanish entirely in the 2010 comparison while mentioning French and German. However, an adequate overview is provided at the end, and the response generally meets the basic requirements of summarising the charts.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, though the conversational transition 'Now, let us move towards 2010' is unacademic and inappropriate for an IELTS Task 1 response. Cohesive devices are used, but referencing is sometimes weak or mechanical. Logical progression is partially disrupted by the conversational tone and the somewhat disjointed grouping of data points. Paragraphing is present, but overall organisational control aligns best with a Band 6.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with terms like 'proportion', 'percentage', and 'declined'. However, there are some noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'familiar with other languages' and 'interested in speaking French' (the chart measures speaking ability, not interest). The range is limited and repetitive, though it remains sufficient to communicate the main ideas without severe impediment.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The essay employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The majority of British students in 2000 were not familiar with other languages.' There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as using all-caps in the opening transcription of the prompt. Punctuation is also lacking in places, such as missing periods at the ends of sentences in the introductory paragraphs. Nevertheless, communication is rarely impeded by these errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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