Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-06
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 above chart is illustrating the percentage of houses that are rented or owned by people of England and Wales.
From the above graph it can be observed that from 1918 there has been a decline in the amount of houses rented by people and the number of house owners increasing in the country. Though in 2011 it can be observed that number of house owners in terms of percentage have decreased.
Number of people living in rented accommodation was about 80% in 1918 which decreased to less that 70% in 1939and kept on decreasing where it reaches 50% in 1971. Following year it fell to 40% then decreased to 30% in 2001. The next decade there was a rise observed at 35%.
House owners have increased in England and Wales from just above 20% to 30% the decade to 50% in 1971. The rise is constant where the next decade it was just shy of 60%. Then close to 70% following the next 20 years. Then 65% in 2011.
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 covers the main trends and provides data points to support the description. You successfully identified the inverse relationship between rented and owned accommodation over the period. However, the report lacks a clear 'overview' paragraph that synthesizes the most significant trends, such as the overall shift from a rental-dominated market to an ownership-dominated one. While you mention the data, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing figures chronologically rather than grouping them by significant periods or trends. To reach a higher band, ensure you include a distinct summary paragraph that highlights the key changes at the beginning or end of the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and basic. Phrases like 'From the above graph' and 'The next decade' are used frequently, which makes the flow feel a bit mechanical. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. For example, using transition words like 'conversely', 'subsequently', or 'in contrast' would improve the logical flow. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas could be smoother to better guide the reader through the data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accommodation', 'decline', and 'percentage'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'amount of houses' (which should be 'number of houses' as houses are countable) and 'following year' (when referring to decades). The vocabulary is functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease', such as 'fluctuate', 'climb', 'plummet', or 'remain stable', and ensure correct usage of countable versus uncountable nouns.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'number of house owners in terms of percentage have decreased' (subject-verb agreement) and 'less that 70%' (missing space and typo). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'The rise is constant where the next decade it was just shy of 60%'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the information, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining sentence structure will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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