Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-11

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 provides the information about the change in some household types in Great Britain between the years 1971 and 2007. It represents the type of household and family depending on the number of people in the households.

Overall, the household type which includes one person, no children and lone parent the percentage experienced a significant rise whereas, for dependent children a gradual decline is observed and it observed the maximum changes throughout all the years. Changes in household types for non-dependent children initially remained the same and then a slight fluctuation is seen.

In 1971, the percentage initially began with 6 for one person and raised to 12% in the year 2007. Furthermore, no children and lone parent also had the same trend starting from 19% and 4%, respectively. Although, till 2007 these percentages gradually increased to 25% and 12%.

However, the changes in the household for dependent and non-dependent children decreased. In 1971, changes for dependent children household was in contrast the greater amongst all the types, 52%. While it was declined in the next years and fell to 36% still remaining the maximum percentage. For non-dependent children the percentages remained constant in the starting but 1% increase was observed in 1991 and again a gradual decline can seen.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the data and makes relevant comparisons. You successfully identified the upward trends for one-person, no-children, and lone-parent households, as well as the decline in dependent children households. However, the overview is slightly confusingly phrased, particularly the claim that dependent children households 'observed the maximum changes,' which is ambiguous. Additionally, the description of the data for non-dependent children is somewhat inaccurate, as you state it remained constant initially, while the data shows a clear decline from 1971 to 2007. To reach a higher band, ensure your overview clearly highlights the most significant trends and that your supporting data points are precise.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'Although,' and 'However' to link your points. However, some transitions are used incorrectly or awkwardly, such as 'Although, till 2007 these percentages gradually increased,' where 'although' is used as a conjunction without a following clause. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'it observed the maximum changes,' where the pronoun 'it' does not clearly refer back to a specific noun. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant rise,' 'gradual decline,' and 'fluctuation.' However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, you write 'the percentage experienced a significant rise,' which is slightly unnatural; it would be better to say 'the percentage of these households experienced a significant rise.' There are also minor errors in phrasing, such as 'the changes for dependent children household was in contrast the greater,' which is grammatically awkward. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring your vocabulary is used in the correct grammatical context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity. For instance, 'the household type which includes one person, no children and lone parent the percentage experienced a significant rise' is a run-on sentence with a missing subject-verb connection. You also have issues with verb tense consistency and preposition usage, such as 'can seen' instead of 'can be seen.' While your meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring every sentence has a clear structure.

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