Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-28
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 illustrate changes in the poeple living in different household types in Great Britain between 1971 to 2007.
Overall, couples with dependent children accounted for the largest proportion pver the period given. In contrast, couples without children increased gradually, while households with single person and lone parent rose moderately.
In 1971, couples with dependent children represented 52% of the households. this figure then fell sharply at the end of the period by 36% in 2007. In comparison, couples without children rise from 9% in 1971, then climbed by 25% in both 2001 and 2007.
Likewise, single person households started to 6% then grew steadily by 12% in 2001, this figure reamined unchanged in 2007. Similarly, Lone parent households made at 4% at the start, then ended up 12% considerably.
Meanwhile, the proportion of couples with non-dependent children changes very little. it stood at 10%, this proportion then dipped slightly by 9% in 2001 and remained same in 2007.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully identifies and reports the main features and trends in the table. An overview is provided, stating that couples with dependent children were the largest group while others showed various increases or stability. Key data points are selected correctly, such as the 52% starting figure for couples with dependent children and the final 12% figures for single persons and lone parents. However, there are some minor data interpretation errors in the body paragraphs: for instance, the student states that couples with dependent children fell 'by 36%' instead of 'to 36%', and that couples without children climbed 'by 25%' instead of 'to 25%'. Despite these misreadings of prepositions, the overall task is addressed competently, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into clear paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and subsequent body paragraphs detailing specific categories. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', 'In comparison', and 'Similarly' are used to guide the reader through the data. However, paragraphing could be structured more effectively, and some mechanical or repetitive cohesive links appear. Referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression suffers slightly from awkward transitions and phrasing between sentences. This level of organization and cohesion fits the Band 6.0 descriptor well.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with appropriate data-reporting terms such as 'proportion', 'gradually', 'rose moderately', and 'fell sharply'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary items (e.g., 'proportion', 'fluctuated' implied by changes), but there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'single person' instead of 'single-person households', and misuse of prepositional phrases accompanying numerical changes (e.g., 'started to 6%' instead of 'started at 6%'). These errors do not impede communication, placing the response securely in the Band 6.0 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'couples with dependent children accounted for the largest proportion over the period given'). However, there are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement and tense inconsistencies (e.g., 'The table illustrate' instead of 'illustrates', 'couples without children rise' instead of 'rose', and 'changes very little. it stood' with a lowercase 'it'). Complex structures often contain minor flaws. While these errors rarely impede communication, they prevent the essay from achieving a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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