Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-26

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 chart below demonstrates the change in percentage of various housing types in Great Britain from year 1971 to 2007

In 1971, the highest number 52% of one family households were for couples with dependent off springs. 19% with no kids and only 10% has non-dependent children. 6% were one person living and 4% were lone parent.

In 1981 to 1991, there is a slight difference between number of households as in 1981 to 1991 8-11% houses had one person only. Couples with no kids were 20-23% and the one with dependents were 41-47%. Others with non-dependent off springs were 10-11%. The lone parent in these years increased by 6 to 10%

The last but not least the years starting from 2001 to 2007 have same data except for the couples with dependent kids that is 39-36%. One person holding house were 12%. Some couple with no children 25% and with non dependent ones by 9%

But in these years lone parent holding house increased by 12% which is highest of above all years

AI examiner evaluation

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

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You report several relevant figures and identify important changes, including the fall in households with dependent children from 52% to 36% and the rise in lone-parent households from 4% to 12%. However, the response does not give a clear overview of the main pattern across the whole period. The claim that 2001 and 2007 have the same data is inaccurate: the one-person and lone-parent figures are unchanged, but dependent-child households fall from 39% to 36%, while other categories remain stable. The final claim that 12% is the “highest of above all years” is also unclear, since this is a tie with one-person households and couples without children. Select the main trends and compare them explicitly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is divided into paragraphs by time period, which gives it a basic structure, and the sequence from 1971 through 2007 is easy to follow. Some linking phrases, such as “In 1981 to 1991” and “The last but not least,” signal movement through the data. However, the organisation is mainly a list of figures rather than a clear progression from an overview to supporting comparisons. The phrase “same data except” is confusing, and “But in these years” does not clearly connect the final point to the preceding paragraph. Use a concise overview first, then group categories by rising, falling, or stable trends, with clearer references between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “increased,” “dependent,” and “non-dependent,” and the reader can generally understand which household categories you mean. However, word choice and collocation are often imprecise or informal for an academic report. Phrases such as “off springs,” “no kids,” “one person living,” and “one person holding house” are awkward or unsuitable, while “highest of above all years” does not express the comparison clearly. There is also repetition of “households” and “children” without much variation. Aim for accurate terms such as “households consisting of one person” and “couples with dependent children,” and use verbs like “rose,” “declined,” and “remained stable” precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the time references help convey the sequence of years. However, grammatical errors are frequent, and some sentence structures make the data difficult to interpret. For example, “19% with no kids and only 10% has non-dependent children” is a fragment followed by an incorrect verb form; “8-11% houses had one person only” has an unclear noun phrase; and “the years starting from 2001 to 2007 have same data” lacks an article and uses an awkward construction. Subject–verb agreement and tense control also need attention. Practise complete comparison sentences, such as “The proportion of one-person households rose from 6% to 12%,” and check articles, plurals, and verb forms.

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