Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-23

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 6.5)

[Writing TASK-1]

The bar chart compares the percentages of households that owned and rented their homes in England and wales from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, renting was much more common in 1918 to 2011. By 1971, both were equal and then owning became the dominant type. In 2011, there was a small fall in home ownership.

As per the given data, in 1918, about 77% of households were in rented accommodation while only about 23% owned their homes. Further, in 1939 and 1953, the figures were the same - around 32% owned and 68% rented. After that, the number of homeowners started to increase. In 1961, about 41% of households owned their homes and 59% rented. Furthermore, 1971 was a turning point. for the first time, both groups were equal at 50%.

Moreover, after 1971, owning became much more popular. In 1981, 60% owned and 40% rented. This trend continued and peaked in 1991 and 2001,when about 68% of households owned their accomodation and only about 31% rented.

lastly,in 2011, the percentage of homeowners dropped slighty to about 64% ,while renters increased to about 35%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered the key periods, including the starting point in 1918, the turning point in 1971, and the final figures in 2011. The data is accurately reported, and you made relevant comparisons between the two categories throughout the response. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide a more analytical summary in the overview rather than just stating that renting was more common. For example, you could highlight the dramatic shift in housing tenure over the century as the most significant feature of the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs and a concluding summary. You used a variety of cohesive devices such as 'further', 'moreover', and 'lastly' to link your ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods, which helps the reader follow the narrative of the data. The flow is generally smooth, although some transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion. The referencing of the data points is clear and consistent throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. You used terms like 'dominant type', 'turning point', and 'housing tenure' (implied) effectively. However, there are some minor spelling errors, such as 'slighty' and 'accomodation', which prevent a higher score. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repeating basic verbs like 'owned' or 'rented' too frequently. Using synonyms or more descriptive phrases for the trends, such as 'a steady climb' or 'a marginal decline', would demonstrate a more flexible and sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrated a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow. There are some minor punctuation errors, such as missing spaces after commas and inconsistent capitalization (e.g., 'lastly,in'). Additionally, ensure that you maintain consistent subject-verb agreement and check for minor slips in tense usage. While the grammar is generally accurate and does not impede communication, increasing the variety of complex sentence structures—such as using relative clauses or participial phrases—would help you achieve a higher band score.

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

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