Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-04

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 following charts represents a proportion of British students studying in an university in England who were able to speak different languages except English in the year 2000 and 2010.

Overall, in 2000 and 2010 highest number of students did not speak other languages. The lowest number spoke German and two other languages in 2000 and Spanish, French and German were spoken by a few number of students in 2010.

In the year 2000, 30% British students did not speak any other language which was highest that year. There were 20% students who spoke Spanish in the university followed by 15% students spoke French and another language. Lastly, 10% children spoke German and two other languages in college which was the lowest.

British students who spoke no other language rose to 35% in 2010 which was still the highest followed by speaking another language by 20% children. There were 15% of academians who spoke two other languages and lastly 10% spoke Spanish, French and German only.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall pattern: students with no other language formed the largest group in both years, rising from 30% to 35%. You also report several category figures accurately, including Spanish at 20% in 2000 and the 2010 figures for another language and two other languages. However, the overview is partly unclear: German and two other languages were tied for the smallest share in 2000, while Spanish, French and German were tied in 2010, rather than simply being “spoken by a few number.” Some comparisons across the years are missing, especially the falls in Spanish and French and the unchanged German figure. A clearer overview and more direct year-to-year comparisons would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to separate descriptions of 2000 and 2010. This makes the information easy to follow overall, and sequencing phrases such as “followed by” and “Lastly” help guide the reader. However, the organisation is somewhat mechanical because the two years are reported separately, with few explicit comparisons between them. Some linking is also awkward or repetitive, as in “followed by speaking another language by 20% children.” Use more precise comparison links such as “whereas,” “by contrast,” and “increased from … to …,” and connect related changes across the years. This would strengthen progression and make the relationships between categories clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for describing proportions, including “rose,” “followed by,” and “highest,” and the language is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this chart. “A proportion” is less suitable when describing several categories, while “children,” “academians,” and “in college” do not accurately or naturally describe the university students. Phrases such as “a few number” and “spoke no other language” also weaken precision. Aim for standard chart language and consistent terms such as “students,” “accounted for,” “share,” and “percentage.” More accurate collocations would improve clarity and make the report sound more formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate the main figures using a mix of simple statements and some longer structures, and most sentences remain understandable. However, there are recurring errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “The following charts represents” should use a plural verb, and “in an university” needs the correct article. In “There were 20% students who spoke Spanish … followed by 15% students spoke French,” the second clause lacks a grammatical link; use “followed by 15% who spoke French.” The overview phrase “highest number of students” also needs an article or a more suitable construction. Practise accurate comparative sentences and check subject–verb agreement and clause structure while editing.

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