Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-30

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 illustrates that the proportion of British pupils at a university in England who were capable to speak other languages- French, German and spanish in addition to English between 2000 to 2010.

Overall, No other language has accounted for the highest proportion both in 2000 and 2010, whereas two other language, Spanish, French and German only had the lowest percentage in both chirts.

In 2000, the students able to speak no other language accounted for 30% which was the largest proportion in this chart. Followed by spanish only, was at 20%; moreover, French only and another language were recorded at 15%. Finally, two other languages and German only were at 10%, which were the lowest percentage in 2000.

Turnign to the next chart, No other language had the highest percentage at just over one third (35) in 2010. Consequently, Another language accounted for 20%; nonetheless, Two other language was at 15% in 2010. Finally, there are three languages such as ( Spanish only, French only, and German only ) accounted for 10%, which was the lowest proportion in 2010.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You report several key figures accurately, including the 30% with no other language in 2000, the rise to 35% in 2010, and the 20% share for Spanish in 2000. However, the overview is not fully accurate: Spanish was not among the lowest categories in 2000, and in 2010 the lowest categories were Spanish, French and German only, not the same set of categories as in both years. The opening also narrows the chart to French, German and Spanish, although it includes other languages and students speaking two languages. To strengthen the response, give a precise overview of the main changes—especially the decline in Spanish and the increases in “another language” and “two other languages”—and describe the full range shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by separate paragraphs for 2000 and 2010. This makes the two charts easy to follow, and signposts such as “Overall” and “Turning to the next chart” help guide the reader. Some linking, however, is mechanical or does not express the relationship accurately. For example, “Consequently” does not show a cause-and-effect link between the 2010 figures, while “nonetheless” is unnecessary before the next category. The overview also groups categories in a way that makes the comparison less clear. Use simpler transitions and organise comparisons around changes between years as well as the figures within each chart.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounted for,” “recorded at,” and “percentage,” so the main information is generally understandable. There is some variety in how you report figures, but several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. “Capable to speak” is not a natural expression here, and “two other language” does not correctly name the category. “Highest percentage” and “lowest proportion” recur without much variation. Spelling errors such as “Turnign” and “chirts,” along with inconsistent capitalisation of “Spanish,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise category labels and natural reporting phrases, while checking spelling and avoiding unnecessary repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “whereas” and “which,” and most of the figures remain understandable. However, some errors in sentence structure and agreement are noticeable. The opening says “The pie charts illustrates,” where the plural subject requires a plural verb. “Between 2000 to 2010” also uses an incorrect preposition pattern, and “two other language … had” has a number-agreement problem. The sentence beginning “Followed by spanish only” is awkwardly constructed, while the final sentence has an unclear structure around “there are three languages … accounted for.” Practise building complete, direct sentences around the chart categories and check subject–verb agreement, plurals and prepositions.

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