Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-17

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 7.0)

The bar chart illustrates the percentages of households that owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.

Overall, the proportion of household living in rented accommodation declined considerably over the period, while home ownership followed the opposite trend. The two figures were equal in 1971 which owning a home became more common than renting.

In 1918, only 22% of households owned their homes,whereas a much higher proportion, 78%, lived in rented accommodation. The percentage of homeowners then increased gradually, reaching 31% in 1939 and 32% in 1953. By 1961, the figure had risen to 42%, while the proportion of renters had fallen to 58%. In 1971, both figures stood at approximately 50%.

After 1971, home ownership continued to rise, reaching 60% in 1981 and 68% in 1991. It peaked at 69% in 2001 before falling slightly to 64% in 2011. In contrast, the percentage of household fell to 40% in 1981 and 32% in 1991, reaching its lowest point of 31% in 2001, before increasing slightly to 36% in 2011.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and providing relevant data points to support the description. You have clearly highlighted the inverse relationship between home ownership and renting and identified the key crossover point in 1971. The overview is concise and captures the essence of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently provide comparative language throughout the body paragraphs rather than just listing figures. For example, you could explicitly contrast the growth rates between specific decades to provide a more analytical summary of the information provided in the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving chronologically through the data. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'while', and 'after 1971' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate, with each section serving a distinct purpose. The flow is natural, and the referencing is clear throughout the text, making the information easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'followed the opposite trend' and 'peaked at' are used accurately. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices could be more precise. For instance, 'the percentage of household fell' should be 'the percentage of households'. While the vocabulary is adequate and fits the context well, incorporating more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'increased' and 'decreased' would help elevate the lexical range further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'The two figures were equal in 1971 which owning a home became more common', where 'in which' or 'when' would be more appropriate. Additionally, 'the percentage of household' should be pluralized. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is handled correctly throughout the report.

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