Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The charts below illustrate the proportions of British students who are able to speak other languages than English in 2000 and 2010.

Overall, we can see that in both charts, the percentage of no other language is the largest. And the percentage of those who speak Spanish and French is decreasing. While the percentage of another language is increasing.

In the year 2000, most students only spoke English with 30% of the chart. The most spoke language after English was Spanish, with 20% of the chart. However the French percentage was not far from Spanish, with 15% of the chart we able to speak it. Students who can speak another language other than those mentioned in the chart were 15%. And 10% for both German only, and those who can speak two languages.

By 2010 some shifts happened in the chart. The massive drop for Spanish speakers who dropped to half reaching only 10%. And the increase of the percentage of another language speakers, and no other language speakers were both increased by 5%. French speakers also dropped by 5%, while two language speakers increased by 5%. And the only percentage that remained the same, was German only with 10%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main overall pattern: students reporting no other language formed the largest group in both years, Spanish and French declined, and the “another language” category grew. The figures you give are accurate, including the unchanged German-only share and the five-point changes in several categories. You also compare the two years rather than listing the charts separately, which supports a clear account of the data. To make the report more fully developed, state the overall shift more precisely: the share speaking no language other than English rose from 30% to 35%, while the combined categories for speaking at least one other language consequently fell. Avoid the potentially confusing phrase “most students only spoke English,” since this describes a 30% minority, not a majority.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure: introduction, overview, 2000 details and changes by 2010. The progression from the broad trends to specific figures is easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “However” and “By 2010” help signal comparisons. This is a coherent arrangement, with the main information grouped sensibly. However, some connections are mechanical or awkward: the overview begins several sentences with “And” or “While,” and “By 2010 some shifts happened in the chart” adds little before the details. The final paragraph also strings together several changes without a clear hierarchy. Use more varied comparison structures and group related increases and decreases to make the progression smoother and more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportions,” “percentage,” “drop,” “increase,” and “remained the same,” so the reader can understand the comparisons. There is also some attempt to vary expressions, such as “massive drop” and “shifts.” However, the range and precision are uneven. Phrases such as “most spoke language after English,” “with 30% of the chart,” and “two language speakers” are unnatural or imprecise, while “massive” overstates a ten-percentage-point change. Repetition of “percentage” and “speakers” also limits flexibility. Aim for standard data-reporting collocations such as “accounted for,” “share,” and “fell by,” and describe categories consistently as students who could speak a language or languages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response communicates the main comparisons, and it includes some longer structures, for example, “Students who can speak another language other than those mentioned in the chart were 15%.” However, sentence control is inconsistent, and several fragments or faulty constructions interrupt the flow. “While the percentage of another language is increasing” is a dependent clause without a main clause; “The massive drop for Spanish speakers who dropped to half” is also incomplete. There are tense and agreement problems in “the percentage of another language speakers, and no other language speakers were both increased,” as well as awkward article and clause construction in “with 15% of the chart we able to speak it.” Practise complete sentences and use consistent past-tense reporting, checking subject–verb agreement and punctuation.

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