Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-14

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 given pie charts illustrate the data from years 2000 and 2010 about the percentages of British students at a university in England who were able to speak other languages beside English.

In both years, the percentages of students who can speak only English language were greater than those who were able to speak other languages. However, there were more propotion of only English speakers in the year 2010 as compare to 2000 which shows that there were less interest in speaking other languages as the time passed.

According to the given chart for the year 2000, the Spanish, French and German speakers contributed 20%,15% and 10% in the overall shares, respectively. Similarly, the percentages of Spanish, French and German speakers were 10% each in the year 2010.

The shares of students who can speak one and two other languages were more in the year 2010 as compare to 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two years and report several relevant figures, including the declines in Spanish and French and the unchanged German share. However, the overview is inaccurate: students speaking only English were not the largest group in either year; “No other language” was 30% in 2000 and 35% in 2010, while the combined groups speaking other languages made up the majority. The claim that interest declined is also an unsupported explanation, and the final comparison about students speaking one or two languages is not quantified. The response is 140 words, below the required 150, so it needs more complete coverage of the main changes and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, understandable structure: an introduction, a general statement, and details about language categories. Linking expressions such as “However,” “According to,” and “Similarly” help connect points. Nevertheless, the progression is limited because the overview does not accurately summarise the main pattern, and the final sentence introduces a comparison without giving figures or explaining how it relates to the earlier details. The repeated focus on Spanish, French, and German also leaves the other categories insufficiently integrated. Organise the body around the key contrasts—those speaking no other language, those speaking one other language, and those speaking two—and use clear comparisons between years to create a more continuous account.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “percentages,” “speakers,” “shares,” and “contributed,” so the topic is generally clear. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “beside English,” “more propotion,” “as compare to,” and “less interest.” The last phrase also interprets the figures rather than describing them neutrally. Spelling errors such as “propotion” are noticeable, and “only English language” is not a natural way to label the chart category. Aim for precise chart language and accurate collocations, for example, “students who spoke no other language” and “the proportion increased.” This would make the limited range more effective and reduce distractions for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “However” and a clause beginning “which shows that.” The main information is usually understandable, but errors recur in sentence construction and grammatical patterns. For example, “the percentages of students who can speak” shifts tense from the past context, while “as compare to 2000” and “there were less interest” contain faulty forms. The sentence about the 2010 figures also needs clearer parallel construction. Use past-tense forms consistently when describing the charts, check subject–verb agreement and countability, and proofread comparative structures. More accurate control of these patterns would make your range clearer and your comparisons easier to follow.

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