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 chart shows the Trend Analysis of Households Owning and Renting Accommodation in England and Wales (1918–2011)

In 1918 majority rented their household accommodation, while only few like 23% people households are in owned accommodation. In 1939 the ownership takes a sudden rise about 32% economy started owning their households meanwhile, households in rented accommodation decline not major only minor. 1953 was the year which remains same as 1938 neither household owned nor rented had any rise or decline in this year; But in 1961worlds faces a major decline in rented accommodation and a major rise of household in owned accommodation.

In 1971 both households in owned accommodation and rented accommodation remains the same 50%. Probably 1981 was the year in which the scale of the households in owned accommodation rises 60% and rented accommodation drops to 40%. While in 1991 the ownership rise unexpectedly it reaches to 68% and rented accommodation drop to 32%.

In 2001 both the scales remain the same; Finally, in 2011 rented accommodation again take a rise and the bar reaches at 36%, and the bar of ownership drop to 64%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main trends in the data, identifying the shift from renting to owning and the subsequent reversal. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing data points year-by-year rather than synthesizing the information into a clear overview. While the main features are reported, the lack of a distinct 'overview' paragraph makes it difficult to identify the most significant trends at a glance. The inclusion of specific percentages is accurate, but the report would benefit from more comparative language to highlight the relationship between the two categories throughout the period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the chronological progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and occasionally awkward, such as 'In 1939 the ownership takes a sudden rise' and 'Finally, in 2011'. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when referring to 'the scale' or 'the bar'. More varied linking words and better signposting would improve the logical flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a heavy reliance on basic verbs like 'rise', 'drop', and 'remain'. Phrases such as 'worlds faces a major decline' and 'the bar reaches at 36%' are slightly unnatural or contain minor errors. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more sophisticated collocations related to data description, such as 'a significant upward trend', 'a gradual decline', or 'a plateau', rather than repeating the same simple verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'majority rented their household' (missing article), 'only few like 23% people households' (awkward phrasing), and '1953 was the year which remains same' (tense inconsistency). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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