Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-22

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 5.0)

The illustration gives information about the varieties of households in the United Kingdom from 1971 to 2007. Overall, only two types of households decreased, that were dependent children and non-dependent children.

It is quite evident from the table that there were seven different types of households in Great Britain. At the top of the table, one-person households in 1971 were just six percent, but with the passage of times its increased to 12 percent in 2007. The families who live in the houses without children were 19 percent at the start, and in 1991, it increased to 23 percent, and from 2001 to 2007 the percentage of this type was the same.

Furthermore, the highest percentage of houses where children live depended on their guardians, but in the following years till 2007, the percentage of this section decreased to 36. The lowest percentage of people household where lone parent live less than five percent in 1971, but at the end in 2007, its percentage increased as same one person to 12%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to address the task by summarizing the main trends in household types from 1971 to 2007. An overview is provided, stating that only two types of households decreased, which is accurate regarding dependent and non-dependent children. However, the selection and reporting of data contain inaccuracies and a lack of precise detail. For instance, the student states that the lowest percentage of people in households where a lone parent lived was 'less than five percent in 1971' and that it increased to '12%'. While 1971 is 4% (close to 5%), the overall comparison lacks a cohesive overview of the entire table's structural changes. Key categories like couples with no children and one-person households are mentioned, but the support lacks depth and precision in referencing specific years across the timeline. This places the response in Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview sentence, and body paragraphs. However, logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions and mechanical cohesive devices. Phrases like 'At the top of the table' and 'Furthermore, the highest percentage of houses where children live depended on their guardians' create confusing and unnatural links. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas lacks clear structure, mixing different household categories haphazardly within the second and third body paragraphs. Reference words like 'this section' or 'this type' are sometimes unclear or ambiguous, making the text less cohesive. Overall, the arrangement shows some organization but lacks clear overall progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, incorporating general terms related to household types, percentages, and time periods such as 'varieties of households', 'percentage', and 'guardian'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations throughout the text, such as 'with the passage of times its increased' and 'people household where lone parent live'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary often result in unnatural phrasing. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word choice errors and grammatical constraints on vocabulary use restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical control is weak. There are frequent errors in verb tense, agreement, and clause structure. For example, 'Overall, only two types of households decreased, that were dependent children and non-dependent children' contains a faulty relative clause. Other errors include 'its increased' instead of 'it increased', 'families who live in the houses without children were 19 percent at the start, and in 1991, it increased' (shift in plural/singular agreement), and 'live less than five percent' (missing verb). While some sentences are understandable, frequent grammatical inaccuracies cause difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from reaching Band 6.0.

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