Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-13

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 illustrates the modification about people in some household types in Great Britain, spanning from 1970 to 2007.

Overall, the period witnessed a dramatic change in the percentage of people in household types. The proportion of one person, number of childern, and lone parent increased during the period, while dependent and non-dependent children indicate decreased in the percentage over the time.

However, couple and one-family households showed no percentage.

In 1971, number of person in household types is 6%, before increasing to 8 % in 1981 and 11% in 1991. In 2001 and 2007, the number remained the same 12%. Similarly, in 1971 the percentage of number of children and lone parent was 19% and 4%, which surged to 23% and 10% by 1991. Afterthat, both categories percentage remained same approximately 25% and 12% in

2001 to 2007.

Regarding dependent children, the number reduced over time, it was recorded 52% and 47% in 1971 and 1981, before falling to 41%, 39% and 36% by 1991, 2001, and 2007. Furthermore, number of non-dependent children remained same 10% in 1971 and increased slightly to 11% by 1991, before dropping to 9% by 2001 and 2007.

Ultimately, couple and one-family households represented no percentage over the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover the main trends from the table, noting increases and decreases in various household types over the 1971-2007 period. However, there are significant inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the data provided in the chart (for instance, claiming that 'couple and one-family households showed no percentage'). Additionally, the timeframe is slightly misstated as starting in 1970 instead of 1971. While some key features are reported, the lack of accurate data extraction and some confusion regarding the categories prevent a higher score. It satisfies the basic requirements of summarising information, but falls short of fully and accurately developing all main features, placing it at a Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into multiple paragraphs, including an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific trends. However, the progression is occasionally hindered by awkward transitions and mechanical cohesive devices like 'Afterthat' and 'Ultimately'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall logical flow is disrupted by data inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing. Paragraphing is present and attempts to separate different categories of data, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs is faulty at times. Overall, the organisational structure provides a basic framework, aligning with the descriptors for Band 5.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting words and phrases such as 'proportion', 'surged', 'fluctuated' (implied), and 'decreased'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'modification about' instead of 'changes in', 'number of childern' (spelling error), and 'indicated decreased in the percentage'. Less common lexical items are attempted but often lack precision or accurate collocation. These errors do not completely impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The table illustrates the modification...' and 'In 1971, number of person in household types is 6%, before increasing to...'. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, articles ('number of person', 'percentage of number of children'), tense usage ('is' instead of 'was'), and punctuation. While some complex structures are attempted, they often contain errors that cause some difficulty for the reader. The frequency of these errors is characteristic of a Band 5.0 performance.

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

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