Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-03

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 6.5)

The figure illustrates the proportions of various languages spoken by British students at a university in England in the year 2000 and 2010.

In the year 2000, around 30% of the students couldn't speak any language other than English. Around 20% of the students could speak Spanish which is the highest proportion of any language spoken. Around 15% of the students could speak another language and around 10% of the people could speak two other languages and German only. Around 15% of the students could speak French in the year 2000.

In the year 2010, the percentage of proportions of students who couldn't speak no other language increased to 35% whereas the percent of students who could speak Spanish reduced to 10% only. Also, the percentage of French speaking students decreased from 15% in the year 2000 to 10% in the year 2010. The percentage of proportion of German speaking students remained the same 10% in both the time periods. Additionally, the percentage of people who could speak another language increased to 20% and the proportions of people who could speak two other languages increased to 15% in the year 2010.

Overall, the proportion of students who couldn't speak any other language than English increased and the percent of students who could speak another language or two other language also increased shrinking the proportion of Spanish speaking students by a noticable margin.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You report the main categories and accurately identify the key changes: no other language rises from 30% to 35%, Spanish falls from 20% to 10%, French declines, German stays at 10%, and the two other-language categories increase. The final overview also captures the broad contrast between growth in the non-Spanish categories and the fall in Spanish. This gives the response a clear, relevant account of both charts. To make the summary more fully developed, state the most important overall comparison explicitly at the start—for example, that students speaking no other language formed the largest group in both years, while Spanish was the leading additional language in 2000 but not in 2010. Avoid the slightly imprecise phrase “couldn’t speak any language other than English,” which can sound broader than the chart category.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a clear sequence: it describes 2000, moves to 2010, and ends with an overall summary. Comparisons such as “increased to 35% whereas” and “decreased from 15% … to 10%” help readers follow the changes, and the paragraphing separates the two years effectively. The progression is logical throughout. Some linking and framing are less controlled, however: the overview comes after all the details, and repeated openings such as “the percentage of” and “the proportion of” make parts of the account feel formulaic. The final sentence also combines several trends in a long chain. A concise overview before the detailed comparisons, followed by more varied but precise links, would make the organisation smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to describe the charts, including “proportions,” “increased,” “reduced,” and “remained the same.” These choices communicate the main trends, and the language is generally appropriate to an academic summary. However, some phrasing is repetitive or imprecise: “percentage of proportions” is redundant, and “couldn’t speak no other language” is an awkward way to describe the chart’s category. “Noticable” is also misspelled, and “two other language” has an incorrect plural form. Aim for concise, accurate chart language such as “the share of students,” “spoke no other language,” and “fell markedly.” More precise collocations and careful proofreading would strengthen the range and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple statements and more complex comparisons, including “whereas” and relative clauses such as “which is the highest proportion.” Most sentences remain understandable, and the changes are expressed with generally appropriate past-tense forms. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly in the sentence “the percentage of proportions of students who couldn’t speak no other language increased,” where the negative construction is faulty. “The percentage of German speaking students remained the same 10%” is missing a grammatical link, and “two other language” needs plural agreement. The final sentence also has a long structure that makes its relationships harder to follow. Practise concise comparison patterns, such as “the figure remained at 10%” and “the share rose from 10% to 15%,” while checking agreement and sentence boundaries.

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