Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-02

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 5.0)

The main topic of the pie chart is percentage of British Students able to speak languages other than English, in 2000. Firstly. most of the other languages spoken are French, German, Spanish, and 3 more categories are also in line. Spanish and no other languages are represented with black color and French and another language are represented with white color lastly two other languages is represented with dots. The highest percentage in this pie chart is in no other language which is almost 30%. Second highest is Spanish with 20%. Third highest are French and another language with 15% and lowest are German only and two other languages with 10%.

Now I will discuss percentage of British Students able to speak languages other than English, 2010. In this pie chart, the highest percentage is in no other language with 35% and the second highest is French and another language with 20% and the lowest are Spanish and no other language with 10%

Overall this pie chart gives valuable information about % of British Students able to speak languages other than English from 2000 to 2010.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify several relevant figures, including the largest category in both years and the 2000 shares for Spanish, French, and German. However, the response only minimally summarises the charts: it gives no clear comparison of how the distribution changed between 2000 and 2010, and the final sentence merely repeats the topic rather than presenting an overview. There are also factual errors: in 2010, the 20% categories are “another language” and “two other languages,” not French and another language; the 10% categories are French and German, not Spanish and “no other language.” The opening discussion of slice colours does not help summarise the data. Focus on the main trends and report the categories accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence: it discusses 2000 first, then 2010, and uses “Firstly,” “Second,” and “Overall” to signal movement between points. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression is limited because the two years are treated separately rather than compared, and the overview does not synthesise the key changes. Some linking is mechanical, while “Firstly.” is incorrectly separated by a full stop. The colour description interrupts the data summary and makes the first paragraph less focused. Organise the response into a brief introduction, a clear overview, and paragraphs that group the most important comparisons—for example, the rise in “no other language” alongside the falls in Spanish and French.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use basic chart-related vocabulary such as “percentage,” “highest,” “second highest,” and “lowest,” which is enough to communicate some of the figures. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, including “the highest percentage is in” and “this pie chart gives valuable information.” The wording about colours is also unnecessary for reporting the data, and “3 more categories are also in line” is unclear. Use more precise terms for proportions and change, such as “accounted for,” “rose,” or “declined,” and name categories consistently. This would make the summary more concise and help distinguish the chart’s data from its visual design.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences use simple present-tense patterns, and the reader can generally follow the intended meaning. There are attempts to combine information, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “Third highest are French and another language” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “the lowest are Spanish and no other language” has a similar mismatch and does not clearly express the categories. “Firstly.” is also an incorrect sentence break, and the opening phrase “The main topic of the pie chart is percentage” is missing an article. Sentence structures remain repetitive, with little accurate use of comparison clauses. Practise complete, well-punctuated sentences that compare the two years, checking articles, agreement, and whether singular or plural subjects require “is” or “are.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.