Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-13

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 information about how many British students speak different languages at one university in England from 2000 to 2010. The data has been measured in percentage.

Overall, majority of the students spoke no other languages other than english and similar trend was seen in french as well as spanish in both years.

To start with, in 2000, 30% students spok no other languages and half of the students spoke spanish. A similar trend was seen in French and Another language which was 10%. 15% students able to spoke German only and Two other languages respectively.

Moving further, in 2010, majority of the students able to spoke no other language at 35%. A similar trend was seen in Spanish, French and German only at 10% respectively. 20% students were able to spoke Another language and half of the students were spoke Two other languages at 15%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the two years and include several relevant figures, but the report only partially captures the chart’s main features, which limits its coverage. The overview says that most students spoke no other language, which is accurate, but the claim that French and Spanish showed a “similar trend” is unclear and overlooks their different changes. Several figures are misreported: in 2000, Spanish was 20%, not half; French and another language were 15% each, while German and two other languages were 10% each. In 2010, Spanish was 10%, but French and German were also 10%; the report does not clearly compare these changes with 2000. Select the key rises and falls accurately and summarise them in a clearer overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for 2000 and 2010. The time-based sequence makes the information easy to follow, and phrases such as “To start with” and “Moving further” signal transitions. However, these linking expressions feel somewhat mechanical, and the overview does not clearly guide the reader toward the comparisons that follow. Within each year, figures are listed without a consistent organising principle, so the relationships between categories are not always clear. Grouping categories by whether they rose, fell, or stayed the same would create stronger progression. Use more precise links, such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile,” where they express a genuine comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “pie charts,” “percentage,” “majority,” and category labels such as “German only” and “Another language.” This is enough to communicate the general subject, but the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or repetitive. For example, “similar trend” is used for categories whose figures do not necessarily move in the same way, and “half of the students” is an imprecise description of 15%. The phrase “how many … speak different languages” also does not fit a chart reporting proportions as precisely as “the proportions able to speak…”. Aim for accurate language for change and comparison, such as “increased,” “declined,” and “remained unchanged,” and check spelling and word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple statements and some longer structures, and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. However, errors in verb forms and sentence construction occur repeatedly. Examples include “students able to spoke” and “students were spoke,” where the verb pattern is incorrect; use “were able to speak” or “spoke.” The opening phrase “majority of the students” also needs an article (“the majority”), while “30% students” requires “of the students.” There are also inconsistent forms such as “english” within the sentence. Practise accurate percentage constructions and modal or passive patterns, then proofread each sentence for subject–verb structure. Greater control of these basic forms would make the report clearer.

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.