Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-16

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 depicts the percentage of individuals studing in British university who could speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, it is evident that a majority of students was found to be bilingual in that specific institute where research was being carried out. Although Spanish was amongst highest spoken tongue as compared to others, there were a bunch of people who had command over more than two languages.

It was found that 70% of the students were able to communicate in language other than British English. Around 20% learners could speak Spanish whereas 15% students had competence over French. There were other languages students could speak as well except the mentioned ones and that group constituted about 15% of the total.

While 60% model size was found to be bilingual, there was another 10% of the sample size who had command over more than two languages in addition to being well versed in their native tongue

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the two years and reports several figures from 2000 accurately, including Spanish at 20%, French and another language at 15% each, and the 30% who spoke no other language. However, it gives almost no usable comparison with 2010, which is essential to the task. The statement that 70% could speak another language is correct for 2000, but the later claim that “60%” were bilingual is unclear and does not accurately summarise the chart: in 2010, 65% spoke at least one other language, while 15% spoke two other languages. The overview also mischaracterises the data by calling most students bilingual. Include the main changes across both years and distinguish one additional language from two.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs presenting figures. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Although,” and “While” are used to connect ideas. However, progression is limited because the account focuses mainly on 2000 and ends without a clear comparison of the two years. The final sentence is also difficult to follow, particularly “While 60% model size was found to be bilingual,” and its relationship to the preceding figures is unclear. Organise the details by year or by category, and use explicit comparisons such as “fell from” and “rose to” so the reader can follow the chart’s changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonably varied vocabulary, including “depicts,” “constituted,” “competence,” and “command over,” and the meaning is generally recoverable. There are, however, several imprecise or unnatural choices for describing chart data. “A bunch of people” is too informal, “spoken tongue” is an awkward substitute for language, and “model size” appears to be an incorrect phrase that obscures the intended figure. “Bilingual” is also not precise when the chart distinguishes students speaking one additional language from those speaking two. Prefer standard data-reporting language such as “proportion,” “accounted for,” and “could speak two other languages.” These adjustments would make the vocabulary more accurate and appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response attempts a mix of simple and more complex structures, including the concessive sentence beginning “Although Spanish…” and the clause “who could speak languages other than English.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical choices reduce clarity. In “a majority of students was found,” the plural noun calls for “were,” while “students studying in a British university” would be a more controlled noun phrase than “individuals studing in British university.” The final sentence has an incomplete or unclear construction around “60% model size was found to be bilingual,” making the relationship between the percentage and students difficult to interpret. Check subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence structure, especially when reporting percentages. Clearer, shorter comparisons would help maintain accuracy while retaining complex forms.

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