Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-10

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 4.5)

The given pie charts illustrates 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.

There are six categories in total, i.e; no other language, french only, germany only, spanish only, another language and two other languages., In 2000, 20% of students learned spanish, whereas 15% of learner learned french , mdeanwhile 10% learned german only on the other hand, 30% of studied no other language, meanwhile 15% learnt another language, meanwhile 10% learnt two other languages.

The next category is students able to speak other languages than english, in 2010,

The ratio of students who can speak spanish is 10% whereas the ratio of french and germany is 10%, meanwhile 35% can speak no other languages , on the other hand, 20% can speak another language meanwhile 15% knew two other languages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You report most of the chart’s figures accurately, including the rise in “No Other Language” from 30% to 35% and the changes in Spanish and “another language.” However, the response mainly lists categories and figures rather than selecting and highlighting the key features. It lacks a clear overview comparing the two years—for example, that speaking no other language was the largest category in both years, while Spanish declined and the other-language categories generally increased. The sentence introducing 2010 is unfinished, and the response contains 123 words, below the required 150; this limits how fully you can summarise and compare the data. Add a concise overview and develop the main comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the charts, describes 2000, and then moves to 2010. This gives the reader some sense of the order of information. However, the body is not clearly divided into purposeful paragraphs, and the repeated use of “meanwhile” and “on the other hand” makes the links mechanical rather than showing precise relationships. The standalone sentence, “The next category is students able to speak other languages than english, in 2010,” interrupts the progression and does not lead into a complete idea. Grouping the figures by year and using clearer comparisons between years would make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant basic vocabulary for describing charts, including “proportions,” “categories,” “ratio,” and “whereas,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or repetitive. “Learnt” and “learned” suggest language study rather than the ability to speak a language, while “the ratio of students” is not the most suitable way to report a percentage. “Germany only” should be “German only,” and “no other languages” is inconsistent with the chart label “No Other Language.” Repeatedly using “speak” and “meanwhile” also limits variety. Use precise terms such as “share,” “proportion,” and “could speak,” and check language names and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt some longer sentences using comparison and contrast, such as “20% of students learned Spanish, whereas 15% …,” but control is inconsistent. The opening has a subject–verb agreement error: “charts illustrates” should be “charts illustrate.” Other problems include the incomplete sentence “The next category is students able to speak other languages than english, in 2010,” and the awkward construction “30% of studied no other language.” Commas and full stops are also used inconsistently, with several clauses joined by repeated linking words. Most sentences rely on simple listing, so the range of structures is narrow. Practise complete, accurately punctuated sentences and use a consistent past-tense reporting pattern for both years.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.