Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The table below shows the change in some household types in Great Britain from 1971 to 2007.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

PEOPLE IN HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE OF HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The table illustrated the change in some household types in Great Britain from 1971 to 2007.

One noticeable feature was the Dependent children accounted for the highest percentage between 1971 and 2007. Whereas Lone parent contributed the lowest than any other household category in 2007. No information had been given regarding One-family households and couple category .

Firstly, Dependent children had the highest percentage for people in great Britain households at 51% in 1971 and it gradually decreased and got to 36% in 2007. No children accounted for 19% in 1971 and it increased significantly at 25% in 2007. In addition to that, Non-dependent children started at 10% and reached its overall highest in 1991 but then suddenly dipped at the rate of 9% at 2001 and remained constant in 2007.

In contrary to this, Lone parent started at overall lowest at 4% but then it rose up significantly and reached at 125 at 2001 and it remained consistent at this position. While, One person household type started with 6% in 1971 and it changed moderately at 12 percent at the end of time period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main pattern that households with dependent children were the largest category and report several relevant changes, including the fall from 51% to 36% and the rise in one-person households. However, the overview is incomplete and includes a misleading comparison: lone-parent households were not the lowest category in 2007, since non-dependent children were lower at 9%, compared with 12% for lone parents. The statement that no information was given about one-family households and couples is also inaccurate; the table provides figures for the one-family subcategories. Some details are imprecise, such as 51% rather than 52% in 1971, and “125” for lone parents in 2001, where the figure is 12%. Select the key trends accurately and give a clear overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the categories, and it groups several figures into comparisons. However, progression is weakened by the inaccurate overview and by abrupt or incomplete links between ideas. For example, “One noticeable feature was the Dependent children accounted…” combines two sentence patterns, while “In contrary to this” does not clearly signal the contrast that follows. The repeated use of “Firstly,” “In addition to that,” and “While” feels mechanical, and the final “While” clause is not integrated smoothly with the preceding sentence. Organise the overview separately, then group related trends and use linking phrases only where the relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing data, including “accounted for,” “gradually decreased,” “rose,” and “remained constant.” These choices help communicate the broad trends, and some variation avoids excessive repetition. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “reached its overall highest,” “started at overall lowest,” and “changed moderately at 12 percent.” “Reached at 125” also makes the figure difficult to interpret, though the numerical error itself is a task-accuracy issue. Aim for precise, conventional chart language and avoid intensifiers such as “significantly” unless the change warrants them. More natural collocations will make the comparisons clearer and more formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses linked with “whereas,” “but,” and “and,” and the main trends are often understandable. However, some sentence structures are faulty or incomplete. “One noticeable feature was the Dependent children accounted…” incorrectly joins a noun phrase and a full clause; write, for example, “One noticeable feature was that dependent-child households accounted for…”. The opening “Whereas Lone parent contributed…” is also a fragment, and “In contrary to this” is not a correct grammatical construction. There are further problems with articles, number, and prepositions, as in “at overall lowest” and “reached at.” Use complete sentences and check clause structure and preposition patterns carefully.

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