Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-08

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

PEOPLE IN HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE OF HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The report is derived from a tabular chart which illustrates the percentage change in some household types in great britain from 1971 to 2007.

Overall, it is evident that, in 1971, the highest percentage of households was accounted by Dependent children; whereas, the least could be obeserved by Lone parent.

Turning to the details, the highest types of One person, 12% in the year 2001 and 2007; while, the lowest can be observed in 1971, 6%. It is worth noticing that the percentage of one person family increased significantly throughout the year. Moreover, the proportion of No children households increased from 1971 with 19% to 2007, 25%. Furthermore, the ratio of Non-dependent children same as in the year 1971 and 1981 , and it was 10%, after one decande the ratio decreased and again same as in 2001 and 2007 and it was 9%. Noticebl;y, the proportion of lone parent family incresed rapidly after every decades and in the year 2001 and 2007 the ratio remaind stable and it was 12%.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify relevant overall features, including the dominance of households with dependent children in 1971 and the low starting share for lone-parent households. You also report several accurate trends: one-person households rose from 6% to 12%, couples without children increased from 19% to 25%, and lone-parent households reached 12% by 2001 and remained there in 2007. However, the overview is limited to the 1971 ranking and does not summarise the main changes across the period, especially the decline in dependent-child households from 52% to 36%. Some details are also unclear, such as “the highest types of One person,” and the non-dependent-child trend is described without its 1991 peak. A fuller overview and more precise selection of key comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph of details. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” help signal movement between points. However, the detail paragraph reads largely as a sequence of separate observations rather than a clearly grouped comparison of household types. Some transitions are mechanical, and punctuation around connectors is often awkward, as in “12% in the year 2001 and 2007; while” and “from 1971 with 19% to 2007, 25%.” The overview also does not prepare the reader for the most important overall change. Grouping rising categories together and contrasting them with the declining dependent-children category would create clearer progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related terms, including “percentage,” “proportion,” “ratio,” and “increased,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, noticeable spelling and word-choice problems that reduce precision: “obeserved,” “decande,” “Noticebl;y,” “incresed,” and “remaind.” Some expressions are also unnatural or imprecise, such as “the highest types of One person” and “one person family”; the table refers to household types, not family types. Repeating “ratio” for percentages is less suitable, and “increased rapidly” overstates the steady rise in lone-parent households. Use accurate collocations such as “the proportion of one-person households” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple statements and more complex clauses, including a contrast with “whereas” and a sentence beginning “It is worth noticing that.” The main trends can usually be understood, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the highest percentage of households was accounted by” needs a passive construction such as “was accounted for by,” while “the ratio of Non-dependent children same as” is missing a verb. The sentence about one-person households also lacks a clear main clause after the semicolon. Articles, prepositions, and sentence boundaries need more consistent control. Aim for complete, direct sentences—for example, “The proportion of one-person households rose to 12% in 2001 and remained at that level in 2007.”

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