Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The bar chart illustrates the percentage of owned household and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.
Overall, the percentage of owned accommodation in household increased over the period, while the proportion of households in rented accommodation decreased over the period. In 1971, Both accommodation percentage remained same.
In 1918, rented household accounted for around 76%, after that the figure decreased slightly around 68%. In 1953, the figure rose slightly for approximately 69%, before it was fell around 58% in 1961. After that, the proportion of rented accommodation decreased around 31% in 2001. In 2011, the ratio of people owned rented accommodation was climb to 35% approximately.
The ratio of people who owned accommodation was only 22% in 1918, after that the figure rose around 32% in 1939. It fell slightly in 1953, before climb to 50% in 1971. The figure increased 69% approximately in 1991, before fell to 63% in 2011.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, including the overall trends and the point of intersection in 1971. However, the reporting of data is inconsistent and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the statement that rented accommodation 'climbed to 35%' in 2011 is not supported by the visual data, which shows a slight decline or plateau. Additionally, the description of the trends is somewhat mechanical, listing figures without sufficient synthesis or comparison. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in data reporting and the failure to fully highlight the most significant changes limit the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of information. However, the use of cohesive devices is repetitive and sometimes mechanical. Phrases like 'after that' and 'the figure' are used excessively, which makes the flow feel somewhat stilted. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the internal cohesion within paragraphs lacks variety, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the transition between years is abrupt. Improving the range of linking words would significantly enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. The student relies on basic terms like 'increased', 'decreased', 'rose', and 'fell'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or varied vocabulary to describe trends (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', 'surged'). Furthermore, there are some awkward collocations, such as 'ratio of people owned rented accommodation', which is confusing. To improve, the student should focus on using a wider range of synonyms and more precise terminology for describing statistical changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Both accommodation percentage remained same' (missing articles and incorrect word order) and 'before it was fell' (incorrect verb form). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'rose slightly for approximately 69%'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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