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 chart illustrate students from British university able to speak other languages compared with english languages during the distinct period of time. In 2000 20% students were able to speak spanish while 15% were able to speak french compared with 2010 where the ratio for both is 10% for each. German remains the same by 10%. However 30% of the students were not be able to speak any other language then english which increased in 2010 by 35%. The chart also demonstrate that in 2000 15% of the students were able to speak 2 other languages than french, german and spanish which we don't know what were they since no information is given and it increases by 20% in 2010.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You report several relevant figures accurately: Spanish falls from 20% to 10%, French from 15% to 10%, German stays at 10%, and the share speaking no other language rises from 30% to 35%. However, the response is only 120 words, below the required 150, and this limits how fully you can summarise the charts. There is no clear overview identifying the main pattern, such as the increase in students speaking another or two other languages alongside the rise in those speaking no additional language. You also misreport “Another language”: it is 15% in 2000 and 20% in 2010, not the proportion speaking two other languages. Add a concise overview and cover the categories accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly chronological comparison, moving from 2000 figures to changes in 2010, and linking words such as “while” and “However” help signal contrasts. Nevertheless, it is presented as one paragraph and has little overall progression: there is no separate overview, and the final sentence combines a category description, speculation, and a comparison. The reference to “2 other languages than french, german and spanish” is also unclear, making it difficult to follow which chart category is being discussed. Organise the response into an introduction, an overview, and one or two detail paragraphs. Use clear category labels and comparisons so that each sentence develops one point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main comparisons, including “ratio,” “increased,” and “able to speak,” and the language categories are generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or repetitive. “The chart illustrate” is not a natural way to introduce the visual, while “the ratio for both” is less suitable than describing the percentages or proportions. The phrase “speak 2 other languages than french, german and spanish” does not accurately name the chart category and creates confusion. Aim for precise terms such as “proportion,” “share,” and “students speaking two other languages,” and use the chart’s category labels consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences with comparisons, for example, “In 2000 20% students were able to speak spanish while 15% were able to speak french compared with 2010…”. However, grammatical errors are frequent, and the range of sentence structures is limited. Examples include the missing article in “20% students,” subject–verb disagreement in “The chart illustrate,” and the incorrect construction “were not be able to speak.” The final sentence also has an unclear clause structure around “which we don't know what were they.” These errors sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to understand. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and use straightforward comparative sentence patterns before attempting longer clauses.

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