Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-29
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 pie chart illustrates the percentage of different languages, that are spoken by the British students at one institution in England from 2000 to 2010.
Overall, speakers of no other language have the highest percentage in one decade, followed by the French at 15% and the lowest one is the two other languages.
In year 2000 the speakers of Spanish are 20% and in year 2010 it drops dramatically to 10 %. Same is the case for French as well its speakers in 2000 are 15% and in 2010 they are decreased to 10%. German language is consistent throughout these 10 years it remains the same to10%.
Students who speak no other than these languages are 30% in 2000 and in comparison, with 2010 they surged to 35% which shows a spike in their numbers. Speakers with two other languages are 10% in 2000 and they jump to 15% in 2010. Students who speak another language are 15% in year 2000 and in 2010 they are 20% which is a steady increase in their number.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by reporting the main features of the charts and making relevant comparisons between 2000 and 2010. The overview provided in the second paragraph captures the highest category (no other language) and mentions some general trends, such as French at 15% in 2000. Key data points are correctly identified, such as Spanish dropping from 20% to 10% and German remaining consistent at 10%. However, there is a minor misinterpretation in the overview regarding the lowest category, as 'two other languages' and 'German only' were actually 10% in 2000 rather than clearly identifying the single lowest absolute extreme. Despite this minor slip, the response clearly highlights the significant trends and supports them with accurate figures from the visual data, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically into four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific language percentages for the two years. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Overall', 'In year 2000', 'Same is the case for', and 'in comparison with'. However, some of the referencing and linking feels slightly mechanical or repetitive, particularly the phrase 'in year 2000 and in 2010 they are' which is repeated several times. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data points, ensuring a clear overall progression throughout the text.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms related to data trends such as 'drops dramatically', 'decreased', 'consistent', 'surged', and 'steady increase'. There are attempts at less common vocabulary, though some word choices are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'speakers of no other language have the highest percentage' rather than referring to students who spoke no other language. Spelling and word choice errors are present ('In year 2000', 'No other than these languages') but they do not impede communication, placing the response solidly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and comparative structures. There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text, such as missing articles ('In year 2000', 'German language is consistent'), comma splices, and awkward phrasing ('Same is the case for French as well its speakers'). Although these errors occur with some frequency, the majority of sentences are understandable, and meaning is rarely impeded. The control of grammar and punctuation is typical of a Band 6 level performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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