Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-03

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 compares the proportion of different category of households in Britain between 1971 and 2007.

Overall, household who dependent children had the highest percentage throughout the period, whereas One-family household and couple categories remained at 0%. In addition, the figures for one person, no children, and lone parent were increased gradually over the period.

The figure for dependent children was 52% in 1971. It then fell to 47% in 1981 and 41% in 1991, before declining further to 39% in 2001 and 36% in 2007. A similar pattern can be seen in No children, In 1971, it was 19% and then increased slightly at 20% and 23% in 1981 and 1991 respectively. After that, in last two years, the figures remained relatively stable at 25%.

The figures for One person and Lone parent category recorded small shares and increased gradually over the period in between 4 to 12. In 1971 and 1981, the figure for Non-dependent children recorded equal share of 10% each then it increased slightly at 115 in 1991, and fell again at 9% in last two years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided relevant data points to support your summary. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting. For instance, you mention that 'One-family household and couple categories remained at 0%', which is not supported by the data provided. Additionally, there are some data misinterpretations, such as '115' instead of 11% and the claim that figures for 'No children' increased to 25% in the last two years, whereas the table shows 25% for 2001 and 24% for 2007. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference your figures with the source table to avoid factual errors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In addition', and 'After that' to link ideas. However, the progression of information is sometimes hindered by mechanical phrasing and minor errors in referencing. For example, the transition 'A similar pattern can be seen in No children' is slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is precise will help the flow of your writing and lead to a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'declining', 'remained relatively stable', and 'increased gradually'. However, there are some word choice errors and typos, such as 'household who dependent children' (should be 'households with dependent children') and '115' (likely a typo for 11%). The use of 'category' is repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that your terminology is accurate when describing statistical data. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'household who dependent children' (missing preposition/verb), 'the figures for one person... were increased' (incorrect passive voice), and 'in last two years' (missing article). These errors do not usually impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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