Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-06

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 given pie charts illustrate the percentage of British students able to speak languages other than English in one university in England in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, no other language accounted for the largest perportion in both years, while French, Spanish represented the almost same smallest share. In contrast, Another language and two other languages saw their shares grew over the period. Moreover, German stayed exactly same .

At first glance, it is clear that no other language accounted for 30% in 2000, whereas half of it spoke French and Another language. Spanish was the prefered by 20% scholers, followed bytwo other languages at 10%, and German also at 10%.

On further analysis, it is clearly seen that no other language, which grew consistantly to 5% becoming again largest share in 2010.French dropped by 5%. Furthermore, the figure of another language incresed to 5%, while German remained unchanged throughout entire period. Moreover,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting some key features of the charts while missing others or misreporting details. For instance, the student notes that no other language accounted for the largest proportion in both years, which is correct (30% in 2000 and 35% in 2010). However, the overview and body paragraphs contain several inaccurate figures and confusing comparative statements, such as claiming that 'half of it spoke French and Another language' or stating that no other language 'grew consistantly to 5%'. Furthermore, the response trails off abruptly at the end with an incomplete sentence ('Moreover,'), which leaves the reporting unfinished. To achieve a higher band, the student must carefully verify data from the visual prompts, ensure all main features are accurately reported without mathematical confusion, and fully develop the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation evident with an introductory sentence and transition phrases like 'Overall,' and 'At first glance,', but there is no clear overall progression of ideas. The paragraphing is disrupted by very short, disjointed blocks of text, and the final sentence is left hanging without completion. Cohesive devices are used somewhat mechanically and inaccurately in places, such as the abrupt transitions between sentences that lack logical connection. Referencing is also occasionally unclear. To improve Coherence and Cohesion, the writer needs to group related data more logically into well-developed paragraphs, use cohesive ties more smoothly to link ideas, and ensure that every sentence is completed to maintain a steady, logical flow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word formation. Examples of lexical issues include misspelling 'proportion' as 'perportion', 'preferred' as 'prefered', 'scholars' as 'scholers', and 'consistently' as 'consistantly'. Additionally, awkward phrasing such as 'represented the almost same smallest share' and 'incresed to 5%' impede smooth communication and demonstrate a lack of precision. To reach a higher band, the student should expand their range of vocabulary, use more precise academic terms for describing statistical data, and carefully check their spelling before finalising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple constructions alongside faulty attempts at complex sentences. There are frequent grammatical errors, including missing prepositions, article errors, and faulty verb forms or modifiers (e.g., 'while French, Spanish represented the almost same smallest share', 'German stayed exactly same', and 'half of it spoke French and Another language'). These frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader in grasping the intended meaning. To improve, the student needs to practise forming accurate complex sentences, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, and ensure correct usage of articles and modifiers when discussing statistical trends.

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

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