Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-28

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 6.0)

The given table illustrates people in households by type of household and family in percentages.

It shows various percentages of single person, one family household and lone parents through 1971 to 2007.

It is noted that the percentage of a single person is increased over the years being 6 percent in 1971 gradually moving up to 8 in 1981 and being 12 percent from 2001 till 2007. It means that the numbers of single people in Great Britain increased over the years and found a constant from 2001 to 2007. Similarly, the number of couples with no children increased from 1971 to 2007 being 19 percent in 1971 and gradually rising until 2001 where the total number of couples with no children were 25 percent and that remained constant until 2007. Moreover the number of dependent children decreased over the same period. It dropped for 52 percent in the 1971 to 36 percent in 2007. Meaning as years went by children started to get independent.

Interestingly, the number for the non-dependent children didn't see that kind of change. It started as 10 percent in the 1971 and 1978 then it increased 2 percent in 1991 being a total of 11 percent and gradually coming down to a constant of 9 percent through 2001 to 2007. Lastly and sadly the number of lone parents grew over the years being 4 percent in 1971 and ending with a total of 12 percent in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main household categories and identify several important trends: one-person households and couples without children rise, dependent-child households fall, and lone-parent households increase. The figures for most of these trends are accurate, and you include useful start and end values. However, the overview is not clearly separated or sufficiently comprehensive, and some details are inaccurate: non-dependent children were at 10% in 1971 and 1981, not 1978, and rose to 11% in 1991—a one-percentage-point increase, not two. The explanation that children “started to get independent” is not demonstrated by the table, which reports household proportions rather than causes. A clearer overview and more precise reporting would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is arranged in a generally understandable sequence, moving through the household categories, and paragraphing helps separate the discussion of non-dependent children. Linking expressions such as “Similarly,” “Moreover,” and “Lastly” guide the reader through the comparisons. However, the opening repeats the task description rather than giving a concise overview, so the main pattern is not immediately clear. Some connections are mechanical, and the final sentence of the dependent-children section (“Meaning as years went by…”) is a fragment that interrupts the flow. Grouping the rising categories together and the declining or relatively stable categories together, with a clear overview first, would create stronger progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “increased,” “decreased,” “gradually,” and “remained constant.” These choices make the main comparisons understandable. Some wording is imprecise or repetitive, however: “the number of a single person” and “the total number of couples” do not accurately describe percentages, while “found a constant” is an awkward way to express stability. “Sadly” adds an unsupported personal judgement and is not appropriate for a neutral data summary. Aim for precise terms such as “proportion” or “share,” and use standard trend collocations. This would make the report more formal and accurate without requiring unusually advanced vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including clauses linked with “where” and “until,” and the overall meaning is usually clear. Some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the percentage of a single person is increased” has an incorrect article and verb construction; “the total number … were 25 percent” has subject–verb disagreement; and “Meaning as years went by…” is an incomplete sentence. There are also tense and preposition problems in phrases such as “It dropped for 52 percent in the 1971 to 36 percent in 2007.” Use past simple consistently for the historical data, check agreement, and make sure each sentence has a complete main clause.

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