Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-11
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 bar graph compares the proportion of households in rented and owned accomodation in England as well as Wales from 1918 to 2011.
From an overall perspective, it is reradily apperant that rented accomodation were an option of choice among people at starting of the time frame, while the trend was reversed by households in owned accomodation in 2011.
Probing further, in 1918 more than 70% were accounted for households in rented accommodation, which decreased to less than 70% in following two years to reach at approximately 60% in 1961. Furthermore, the year 1971 was the turning point in terms of accomodation, (represented equal percentage for both the households- 50% each). After that, the proportion of rented accomodation considerably climbed to 60% in 1981. In 1991 and 2001, households in rented accommodation opted for 69%, which decreased by roughly 5% at the end of the time frame (closely 63 -65%).
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the initial dominance of rented accommodation and the eventual shift. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the text states that rented accommodation 'considerably climbed to 60% in 1981' and mentions 69% for 1991 and 2001, which contradicts the visual data provided in the chart. Furthermore, the description of the 1971 'turning point' is confusingly phrased. While the overall trend is identified, the failure to accurately interpret the data points significantly impacts the task achievement, as the summary does not reliably report the information presented in the graph.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, starting with an overview and moving into specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'From an overall perspective', 'Probing further', and 'After that' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'represented equal percentage for both the households'. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the logical progression is sometimes weakened by the inaccurate data reporting, which makes the comparison between the two categories difficult to follow. Overall, the structure is clear, but the mechanical use of some transitions and the lack of clarity in data presentation limit the score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive language like 'proportion', 'turning point', and 'time frame'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'reradily', 'apperant', and 'accomodation' (consistently misspelled). These errors are noticeable and detract from the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 response. While the range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, the persistent spelling mistakes and occasional imprecise word choices, such as 'opted for 69%', prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More precise terminology for describing trends would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that affect clarity, such as 'rented accomodation were an option' (subject-verb agreement) and 'at starting of the time frame' (missing article). The sentence 'represented equal percentage for both the households' is also grammatically awkward. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors, combined with issues in punctuation and article usage, indicates a limited control over complex structures. The majority of sentences contain minor errors, which keeps the score in the mid-range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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