Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-04
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The chart below shows the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
The bar chart illustrates the percentage of households that owned and rented their homes in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.
Overall, the households in rented accommodation accounted for the highest percentage. As compared to the households in owned accommodation was the least percentage during the period. However this trend reversed by the end of the period.
Initially, households in rented accommodation was the highest percentage just over 70% in 1918 then slightly decreased and remained constant in 1939 to 1953. It fluctuated throughout the period. It slightly fell in 1961 to 1981 and reached 40%. In 1991 and 2001 remained stable then gradually rose just over 30%.
Secondly, households in owned accommodation was just started more than 20% in 1918 and it slightly rose and remain unchanged just over 30%. Moreover it gradually increased between 1961 to 1981 reaching 60% then it peaked and remained same just under 70% in 1991 and 2001 . It also decreased about and reached about 62% in 2011.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the overall trends for both owned and rented accommodation. You successfully highlight the reversal of the trends over the period. However, the report lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, stating that rented accommodation 'fluctuated' is vague without specific reference to the data points. Additionally, the description of the data in the second paragraph is somewhat confusing, particularly the claim that rented accommodation 'reached 40%' and then 'rose just over 30%'. These inaccuracies in reporting the figures hinder the clarity of the summary. To improve, ensure that every trend described is supported by accurate data points from the chart.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally misused. For example, the transition 'Secondly' is not ideal for comparing two categories, and the use of 'Moreover' and 'However' is sometimes forced. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'As compared to the households in owned accommodation was the least percentage', which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow of information. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the essay read more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic verbs like 'increased', 'decreased', and 'remained', which are repetitive. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'the least percentage' instead of 'the lowest percentage' or 'the smallest proportion'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic terminology to describe the trends shown in the chart.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'households... was the highest percentage') and missing articles or prepositions. Some sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'As compared to the households in owned accommodation was the least percentage', which lacks a clear subject. While the errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on sentence structure and ensuring that subjects and verbs agree will significantly improve your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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