Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-17

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 figure illustrates that few househoulds structure from 1971 to 2007 had changed in Great Britain.

Overall, people in households had changed drastically like single person increased with year and one-family households with couple having children also increased by 2007 and dependent children reduced and non-dependent children also reduced. Lone parents percentage was least among others.

One person household types in percentage was 6% in 1971 and gradually this number was doubled by the end of 2007 marking to 12%. Moreover, one-family households types couples with children also shows gradual increase like 19% in 1971 and 25% in 2007. Couples with dependent children shows highest in percentage and this was represents decline from 1971 to 2007. Furthermore, non-dependent children was least in couple category marking only 10% in beginning of 1971 and declined to 9% in 2001 and 2007 .

Household of lone parents was least among other category and it was 4% in 1971 which increased to 10% in 1991 and 12% in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several relevant trends, including the rise in one-person households from 6% to 12%, the increase in couples without children from 19% to 25%, and the decline in households with dependent children. However, the overview is not fully accurate: it says couples with children increased, whereas the table shows the dependent-children category fell from 52% to 36%. The claim that lone-parent households were the least common “among others” is also misleading, since they were the smallest category only at the start; by 2007 they stood at 12%. Some categories receive limited or imprecise reporting, and the figures for non-dependent children are not described across the full period. A clearer overview and more accurate comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening, an overview and two detail paragraphs, and it generally groups related household types together. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression is weakened by unclear links between ideas and repeated phrasing such as “increased” and “least among others.” The overview combines several trends in one long sentence, making the comparison between categories difficult to follow. Connectors such as “Moreover” and “Furthermore” are used, but they do not always clarify the relationship between the information. Organise the details into clear comparisons—for example, rising categories versus declining categories—and use references such as “this figure” only when their meaning is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “dependent children,” “non-dependent children,” “percentage,” and “decline,” so the main subject is usually understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are awkward, which sometimes makes the meaning less precise. For example, “househoulds structure” does not clearly express household composition, and “increased with year” is not a natural way to describe a trend. “Couples with children” also blurs the distinction between dependent and non-dependent children. Check spelling, including “households,” and choose precise labels from the table. More accurate trend language and less repetition would make the report clearer and more appropriate for an academic summary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more extended sentences, and the main message can generally be understood. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in longer constructions. Examples include “people in households had changed drastically like single person increased with year,” where the clause structure and tense are faulty, and “this was represents decline,” which combines incompatible verb forms. There are also recurring problems with articles, number and agreement, as in “One person household types in percentage was 6%” and “non-dependent children was least.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are sometimes awkward, especially in the long overview. Build more reliable simple sentences first, then add subordinate clauses while checking subject–verb agreement and verb forms.

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