Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-29

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 table illustrates changes in the percentages of people living across different household types in Great Britain between 1971 and 2007.

Overall, couples with dependent children consistently accounted for the highest proportion of households throughout the period, whereas single-person and lone-parent households made up smaller shares.

According to what is shown, in one-family households, couples with dependent children accounted for the highest proportion, although this figure dropped from 52% to 36% between 1971 and 2007. In contrast, the couple with no children rose slightly from 19 to 25 percentages throughout same period .

In terms of the figures in one person and lone parent increased from 6%, 4% to 11%,10% between 1971 and 1991, Nevertheless in 2001 and 2007 the figures are remained at 12% . Whereas, The couple non-dependent children unchanged from 1971 to the next ten years at 10% , in 1991 went up to 11% then it steadly remaind at 9% through the rest of the period .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall contrast: households with dependent children were the largest category, and their share declined, while one-person and lone-parent households increased. Several figures are reported accurately, including the fall from 52% to 36% and the rise in childless couples from 19% to 25%. However, the overview is incomplete: it calls the one-person and lone-parent shares “smaller” without highlighting their substantial growth, and the final figures for these categories are incorrectly described as remaining at 12% in both 2001 and 2007; the 1991 values were 11% and 10%, respectively. The response covers the table but selects and reports its key features only partially. A clearer overview and more accurate comparisons would strengthen it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs, and it generally groups related household types together. However, progression within the detail paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow. For example, “In terms of the figures in one person and lone parent increased…” does not clearly connect the categories to their figures, and the sequence from 1971 to 1991 to 2001–2007 is compressed into an awkward sentence. Linking words such as “In contrast,” “Nevertheless” and “Whereas” are attempted, but some are incorrectly placed or used, making relationships between ideas less clear. Use one paragraph for the main declines and another for the increases, and connect each comparison with precise time references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounted for,” “dependent children” and “throughout the period,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited and several phrases are unnatural or imprecise, such as “people living across different household types,” “the couple with no children,” and “the figures in one person and lone parent.” These choices sometimes make the intended comparison harder to understand. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “steadly” and “remaind.” Aim for accurate category labels and natural collocations, such as “the proportion of one-person households” and “couples without children.” More precise vocabulary would make the report clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, including a contrast with “although” and a time clause beginning “Whereas.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors in verb forms, sentence construction and punctuation sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “the figures in one person and lone parent increased” lacks a clear grammatical subject, while “the figures are remained at 12%” combines incompatible verb forms. The final sentence beginning “Whereas” is also a fragment, and “In 2001 and 2007” is joined to the preceding clause with incorrect punctuation and capitalization. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check tense consistency when describing changes over time.

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