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 were 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 French at 15% and the lowest one is the two other languages.
In the year 2000, the speakers of Spanish are 20% and in the year 2010 it dropped dramatically to 10 %. The same is the case for French as well. Its speakers in 2000 were 15% and in 2010 they have decreased to 10%. The German language has been consistent throughout these 10 years. It remains the same at 10%.
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 jumped to 15% in 2010. Students who speak another language were 15% in the 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 | 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 student attempts to cover the main features of the two pie charts showing the proportions of British students speaking other languages in 2000 and 2010. An overview is present, noting that 'speakers of no other language have the highest percentage'. However, there are some inaccuracies and awkward phrasings in reporting the data. For instance, the student states that 'speakers of Spanish are 20% and in the year 2010 it dropped dramatically to 10 %', which is an overstatement for a 10% change in percentage points on a pie chart. Furthermore, referring to 'different languages that were spoken' is slightly imprecise given that categories include 'no other language' and 'two other languages'. Nonetheless, the main trends for Spanish, French, and students with no other language are reported. This performance aligns well with Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into four paragraphs, including a brief introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the specific data for each year. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'In the year 2000', and 'The same is the case for'. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly repetitive, like 'Students who speak...' starting consecutive sentences. Paragraphing is generally appropriate, separating the introduction, overview, and body details, though the overall progression could be smoother and more logically synthesized rather than listing each category sequentially. Overall cohesion is adequate for a Band 6 score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to data trends such as 'percentage', 'proportion', 'dropped', 'decreased', and 'surged'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and slight awkwardness, such as 'speakers of no other language have the highest percentage' (it would be more natural to refer to 'students who spoke no other language') and 'the lowest one is the two other languages'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, but the lexical range lacks flexibility and precision. This fits the Band 6 descriptor well.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ('Students who speak...') and introductory prepositional phrases. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, for example, 'The pie chart illustrates the percentage of different languages that were spoken' (languages were not percentages) and tense inconsistencies like 'have the highest percentage' mixed with past-tense data reporting. Despite these errors, meaning is rarely obscured, and simple sentences are generally accurate. This corresponds to a Band 6 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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