Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-07-30

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 8.0)

The table illustrate the changes in some household type in Great Britain from 1971b to 2007

Overall, households consisting of couples with dependent children remained the most common type throughout the period, although their proportion declined steadily. In contrast, one-person households, childless couples, and lone-parent families all became more common over time.

In 1971, 52% of people lived in households with couples and dependent children. This figure fell gradually to 47% in 1981, 41% in 1991, 39% in 2001, and finally 36% in 2007. By comparison, the percentage of couples without children increased consistently from 19% in 1971 to 25% in both 2001 and 2007.

The proportion of people living alone also rose during the period, doubling from 6% in 1971 to 12% in 2001, where it remained unchanged in 2007. Similarly, lone-parent households experienced significant growth, increasing from just 4% in in 1971 to 12% by 2001 and staying at that level in 2007.

In contrast, the percentage of couples with non-dependent children changed very little. It stood at 10% in both 1971 and 1981, increased slightly to 11% in 1991, before declining to 9% in the final two year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and providing relevant comparisons. You successfully highlighted the decline in households with dependent children and the growth in one-person and lone-parent households. The data is accurately reported, and the overview provides a clear summary of the overall shifts. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are transcribed perfectly; for instance, the final year is 2007, but you referred to 'the final two year' in the last paragraph, which is a minor oversight. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets all requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, such as the decline of traditional family units versus the rise of smaller households. Cohesive devices like 'In contrast', 'By comparison', and 'Similarly' are used effectively to link ideas and guide the reader. The progression of information is smooth and easy to follow. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the use of referencing is generally clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'remained the most common type', 'declined steadily', and 'experienced significant growth' are used appropriately. There are minor errors, such as 'household type' (should be plural 'types') and 'final two year' (should be 'years'). However, these do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to avoid repetition, and ensure consistent attention to pluralization.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the control of grammar is generally strong. There are a few minor slips, such as the subject-verb agreement error in the first sentence ('The table illustrate' should be 'illustrates') and the typo '1971b'. Additionally, 'in in 1971' contains a repeated word. Despite these occasional slips, the majority of the writing is accurate, and the punctuation is handled well. The grammatical control is sufficient to support clear communication throughout the response.

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