Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-27

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 8.5)

The bar chart illustrates trends in the proportion of households in owned versus rented accommodation in England and Wales over a 93-year period, from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, there was a dramatic reversal in housing tenure patterns over the period. While rented accommodation was overwhelmingly dominant in the early twentieth century, home ownership became the more common form of tenure from the 1970s onwards, before a slight decline occurred towards the end of the period.

In 1918, only around 23% of households owned their homes, while a substantial 77% lived in rented accommodation. This gap narrowed only slightly over the following decades, with ownership rising gradually to about 32% by 1953, still far below the rental figure of roughly 68%.

From 1961 onwards, however, home ownership climbed steadily, reaching 41% in 1961 and overtaking rented accommodation for the first time in 1971, when the two figures converged at approximately 51%. This upward trend continued through the 1980s and 1990s, with ownership peaking at around 70% in 2001, while renting fell correspondingly to its lowest point of about 32%.

Interestingly, this trend partially reversed by 2011, when ownership dropped to roughly 65% and rented accommodation rose slightly to 37%, suggesting a modest shift back towards renting in the most recent period shown.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have fully addressed all parts of the task by identifying the main trends and providing a clear overview. The selection of data is highly effective, highlighting the key reversal in 1971 and the peak in 2001. You have successfully made relevant comparisons between the two categories throughout the period. The information is well-supported by the provided data, and the summary is accurate and concise. There are no omissions, and the response demonstrates a clear understanding of the requirements for an Academic Task 1 report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from the overview to the early period, the transition phase, and finally the recent developments. Cohesive devices such as 'While', 'From 1961 onwards', 'however', and 'Interestingly' are used naturally and effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The referencing is precise, and the structure of the report is professional and easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the task. Phrases such as 'dramatic reversal', 'housing tenure patterns', 'overwhelmingly dominant', and 'converged' show a high level of lexical control. The vocabulary is precise and used accurately in context. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the language flows naturally, contributing to the overall clarity and professional tone of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You effectively use complex sentence forms, such as the participial phrase 'suggesting a modest shift back' and the contrastive structure 'While rented accommodation was... home ownership became...'. Punctuation is used correctly to manage long sentences, and there are no grammatical errors. The control over tense and aspect is consistent and appropriate for describing historical trends.

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