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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

This graph illustrates the percentage of people in households by type of household and family in Great Britain.

Overall, one-family households under couple with dependent children in 1971 was accounted for highest percentage, whereas lone parent for the same year have the lowest percentage. It shows in the graph that the numbers from every years was flactuating and no observable sudden drop and rise on each year.

In 1971, the percentage of 52 was recorded as the highest number compared to other years under one-family household with dependent children. With the same category, we can notice the numbers steadily fell to 47, 41, 39 and 36 from year 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2007, respectively.

Lone parent recorded the lowest figures of 4% in 1971 ,and climb to 12% in 2007. Likewise in one person, the numbers started at 6% and recorded a slight increased to 12% in 2007. For those household with no children, they recorded a slight increased from 1971 with 19% and 20% to 1981. In 1991, it added 3% and it remained unchange when it got it 25% in 2001 and 2007. In contrast with non-dependent children, the numbers declined slightly from 10% in 1971 to 9% in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern accurately: households with dependent children had the largest share in 1971, and this proportion declined from 52% to 36%, while lone-parent households rose from 4% to 12%. You also report several other categories and give an overall statement. However, the overview is partly unclear: saying that figures were “flactuating” does not capture the distinct long-term decline in dependent-child households and increases in one-person and lone-parent households. Some details are less fully developed; for example, the non-dependent-child category is described only as declining, although it rose to 11% in 1991 before falling to 9%. A clearer overview and more precise comparisons would make the key features easier to understand.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the main categories. The dependent-children figures are presented in chronological order, and phrases such as “Likewise” and “In contrast” help signal relationships between categories. However, some links are mechanical or unclear. The overview’s claim that the figures were “flactuating” conflicts with the later description of a steady decline, and “For those household with no children” introduces a long sequence of figures without clear sentence boundaries. Grouping the rising categories together and the declining categories together, with a concise overview first, would improve progression. Clearer referencing and more controlled transitions would also help readers follow comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “percentage,” “dependent children,” “lone parent,” and “declined,” so the data can generally be understood. There is also some attempt to vary expressions, such as “recorded,” “fell,” and “climb.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive: “the numbers” is used where “proportions” or “figures” would be more precise, and “slight increased” is not a natural form. “Flactuating” is misspelled, while “it added 3%” does not clearly express the rise from 20% to 23%. Aim for precise trend language and accurate collocations, especially when describing changes, rather than relying repeatedly on “numbers” and “recorded.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the numbers … fell to 47, 41, 39 and 36” and a contrast introduced by “In contrast.” The main trends remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. Subject–verb agreement is problematic in “one-family households … was accounted” and “the numbers … was fluctuating”; articles and sentence structure are also awkward in “the highest number compared to other years under one-family household.” In “it remained unchange when it got it 25%,” the verb form and clause construction are faulty. Review agreement, past-tense forms, and sentence boundaries, and use simpler constructions when a longer sentence becomes difficult to control.

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