Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-24

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 charts demonstrates the distribution of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages along with English in year 2000 and 2010.

Overall, the pie chart of previous year secures the highest ratio of students which able to speak no other languages and students which were able to talk in German only and two other languages were lowest containing same ratio. While the data of recent year demonstrates the Bristish students that were able to speak no other language are contain highest ratio than the previous year also and the lowest ratio of students remain equal in German but adding French only and Spanish only students also.

In year 2000 the highest ratio 30% of students which can speak no other languages and in Spanish reduces to 20% and illustrates the students which speak French only and two other languages were lowest and same with ratio 10%.

The data of year 2010 demonstrates the highest ratio 35% of students which can speak no other languages and highest from the year 2000 where as the students can speak another language are 20% and indicates the equal ratio 10% among the students which can speak French only, Spanish only and German only while the Spanish only decrease the ratio than the previous year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two years and report several relevant figures, including the largest category in each year (no other language: 30% and 35%) and the rise in “another language” from 15% to 20%. However, the overview is not fully accurate: in 2000, the lowest shares were German only and two other languages, both at 10%, not French and two other languages. In 2010, German only, French only and Spanish only were all at 10%, which you do note. The response also gives limited comparison across years and does not clearly report the changes in the two-other-languages category or French. A more precise overview and a fuller selection of key comparisons would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for 2000 and 2010. This helps the reader locate the information. However, progression within the overview is difficult to follow, particularly in “While the data of recent year demonstrates…” where several points are joined without a clear relationship. Linking expressions such as “while” and “whereas” are sometimes used awkwardly, and repeated references to “the highest ratio” make the account feel repetitive. Some sentences also combine multiple categories and comparisons, obscuring the main point. Organise the overview around the principal changes, then use the detail paragraphs to compare categories consistently across both years.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “distribution,” “ratio,” “decrease” and “demonstrates,” and the reader can generally understand which categories you mean. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing proportions: “secures the highest ratio,” “students which were able to talk in German,” and “are contain highest ratio.” “Ratio” is also repeated where “proportion” or “share” would be more suitable. There are noticeable spelling and word-form problems, such as “Bristish,” and phrases like “in Spanish reduces to 20%” do not express the intended comparison clearly. Aim for precise, conventional reporting language and check spelling and collocations when revising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons introduced by “while” and “whereas,” but control is inconsistent. Subject–verb agreement errors appear in “The pie charts demonstrates” and “students … are contain.” Relative clauses are also faulty, as in “students which able to speak,” and several sentences omit necessary verbs or articles, for example “the highest ratio 30% of students.” The long overview sentence beginning “While the data of recent year…” is difficult to parse because its clauses are not formed or connected accurately. These errors sometimes make relationships between figures unclear. Practise building accurate comparison sentences first, then combine them using subordinate clauses while checking agreement, verb forms and sentence boundaries.

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