Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-14

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 chart illustrates the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.

Overall , In 1918 the households in owned accommodation was Lowest which are noticed at approximately 23% which started to increase and the percentage of both rented and owned accommodation are same in 1971 which was 50% .Furthermore there is rapid surge of percentage was near about 68% in 2011 and the fall of 4% is noticed in 2011.

Moreover , in 1918 the percentage of households in rented accommodation was highest at 75%, the the percentage started to decline and stables in both 1939 and 1953 then again percentage falls rapidly till 2001 which was noticed at 32% . Finally the percentage of households rented accommodation reached at 35%.

In conclusion, the percentage of owned accommodation is lowest at starting years but at the end rented accommodation have highest percentages in both England and Wales.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the crossover point in 1971 and the general trends for both categories. However, the analysis is somewhat marred by inaccuracies in reporting the data. For instance, you mention a 'fall of 4%' in 2011, which is unclear, and the final sentence contains a factual error, stating that rented accommodation had the highest percentage at the end of the period, whereas the chart shows owned accommodation remained higher. To improve, ensure that your data points are precise and that your summary accurately reflects the final state of the data provided in the visual.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. Phrases like 'Furthermore there is rapid surge' and 'the the percentage' indicate a lack of fluency in linking ideas. The progression of information is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the timeline jumps between years without clear logical transitions. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words (e.g., 'subsequently', 'in contrast', 'meanwhile') would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'the percentage of households' and 'which was noticed at'. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'stables' (should be 'stabilised') and 'lowest at starting years'. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use a wider range of synonyms and more sophisticated collocations related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained constant', or 'a significant upward trend'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('households... was Lowest'), incorrect article usage ('the the percentage'), and awkward phrasing ('which are noticed at'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be a beneficial next step.

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

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