Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-25

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)

The bar chart compares the proportion between owned and rented houses for supporting families in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, rented accommodation dominated the market for the earlier half of the period, before being overtaken by owned houses in the latter half of the period. Homes being rented decreased in number across the entire period. Conversely, purchased houses increased dramatically.

In 1918, households in rented accommodation accounted for approximate 76% of all households. It then dipped slightly in 1939 and 1953, ending at slightly below 70%. In the next period, it decreased significantly to roughly 69%, this continued until 2001, falling down to just above 30%. In 2011, it saw a slight increase to about 35%.

Owned accommodation for supporting families recorded a dramatic increase over the whole period. It only made up roughly 23% in 1918. It then gradually grew until 1971 with a slight dip in 1953. In 1971, both owned and rented accommodations recorded supporting 50% of all households. Unlike rented accommodation, which consistently dropped after that year, owned accommodation steadily increased, peaking in 2001 (just below 70%). However, it fell slightly to roughly 63% in 2011.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends, such as the crossover point in 1971 and the long-term decline of rented accommodation versus the rise of home ownership. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. You have selected relevant data points to support your descriptions, such as the 1918 starting figures and the 2001 peak. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurate; for instance, the description of the rented accommodation trend between 1939 and 1953 is slightly confusing, as the graph shows a more complex movement than a simple dip.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the two categories. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'In the next period', and 'Unlike rented accommodation', which help connect your points effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main trends. The flow is generally smooth, though some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel in the middle of the second paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'dominated the market', 'accounted for', and 'recorded a dramatic increase' are used accurately. There is some repetition of 'accommodation' and 'households', which is expected given the topic, but you could vary this with synonyms like 'dwellings' or 'housing sector'. You show an awareness of collocation, though there are minor slips, such as 'supporting families', which is not the most natural way to describe the data provided in the chart.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally good. There are a few minor inaccuracies, such as 'accounted for approximate 76%' (should be 'approximately') and 'falling down to just above 30%' (where 'down' is redundant). These errors do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as passive voice constructions or more varied subordinate clauses, to demonstrate greater flexibility.

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