Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-24

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 chart below shows the change in some household types for nearly half a century from 1971 to 2007, in Great Britain.

Overall, there had been considerable changes in family households regarding children and the numbers had grown significantly over the years however, there had also been some changes in one person household and numbers have grown gradually over the decades.

One person household had noticeably grown over the years but the major changes had been seen in family households were couple with no children has risen in 1971 it was 19% and in 2007 it is 25%. In addition, dependent children numbers are in complete contrast here the data has fell down from 52% in 1971 to 36% in 2007.

Non-dependent children percentages had been fluctuated over the years with 10% children only in 1971 to 9% in 2007 although it peaked in 1991 with 11% children. Furthermore lone parent percentages had grown significantly from 4% in 1971 to 12% in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important trends accurately: one-person households rose from 6% to 12%, couples without children increased from 19% to 25%, and households with dependent children fell from 52% to 36%. The overview also recognises that household patterns changed, but it is unclear when it says “the numbers had grown significantly,” since this does not specify which groups grew and dependent-child households declined. The response reports the non-dependent-child peak and the rise in lone-parent households, so it covers most categories, though the overview could better highlight the dominant contrast: dependent-child households remained the largest category despite their decline. Make the main comparisons more explicit and ensure each trend is described precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details, and linking expressions such as “In addition” and “Furthermore” help signal added information. However, progression within the overview is not fully clear: the phrase “however, there had also been some changes” joins contrasting ideas without explaining the contrast. The main detail paragraph also places several categories in one long sequence, making comparisons harder to follow. Grouping the rising categories together and then contrasting them with the decline in dependent-child households would create a clearer progression. Some linking phrases feel mechanical, and references such as “the data” and “here” are not always precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “grown gradually,” “peaked,” “in complete contrast,” and “fluctuated.” These choices help communicate the main movements, and the meaning is generally clear. However, some word combinations are imprecise or repetitive: “numbers had grown significantly” is vague, while “percentages had been fluctuated” is not a natural expression. “One person household” and “dependent children numbers” also need more natural phrasing. Aim for precise trend language and accurate collocations, such as “the proportion of one-person households increased” and “the share fluctuated.” This would make the report more fluent and suitably formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast between the rise in childless couples and the fall in households with dependent children. However, errors occur often enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. For example, “the data has fell down” combines an incorrect verb form with an unnatural construction; use “the figure fell.” In “couple with no children has risen in 1971 it was 19%,” the sentence lacks clear punctuation and has an unclear tense relationship. The overview also shifts between “had been” and “have grown” without a consistent time frame. Practise past-simple forms for the historical data and divide long sentences into accurately punctuated clauses.

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