Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The given bar graph illustrates the proportion of households in owned and rented accommodation in two different countries, England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.
Overall, households in owned surged throughout the period, while the rented accommodation citizens rapidly decreased by the end of the period.
In 1918, households owning accommodation started from 21% and grew to 30% in 1939 respectively. However, in 1953, the percentage remained the same. After that, it significantly went up and reached 69% in 2001. Furthermore, in 2011, households in owned accommodation slightly decreased approximately 4% by the end of the period.
Moreover, households in rented accommodation were almost 75% in 1918, whereas the proportion declined throughout the period. In addition, the proportion went downward and declined by the end of the period. Besides, in 2001, the proportion reached around 31% and increased only 3% in 2011.
Although, in 1971 households in owned and rented accommodation remained unchanged throughout the period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview of the trends, identifying the main features such as the surge in home ownership and the decline in renting. However, the report lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, stating that the percentage 'remained the same' in 1953 is vague, and the description of the 1971 data is confusing and inaccurate based on the provided chart. While the main trends are identified, the analysis is somewhat superficial, and the final sentence is contradictory and does not accurately reflect the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are clearly linked to the years and trends described.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the overview to the specific details of owned and then rented accommodation. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'in addition' and 'furthermore'. The final paragraph is disconnected from the rest of the text and introduces a confusing point about 1971 that lacks proper integration. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends (e.g., 'surged', 'declined', 'went downward'). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'rented accommodation citizens' and 'households in owned'. These phrases sound unnatural. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptive terms. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology for data reporting, such as 'proportion of households' or 'home ownership rates', and avoid awkward phrasing that obscures the intended meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'households in owned surged' (missing a noun like 'accommodation') and 'slightly decreased approximately 4%'. The use of 'Although' at the start of the final sentence is grammatically incorrect as it is not followed by a clause that creates a contrast. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement would help improve the accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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