Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-28
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 chart compares the percentage of families living in owned accommodation and rental accommodation in between 1918 to 2011
Overall, households living in their own apartment had increased over the period of time, carrying highest proportion in 2001, compared with residential units in rental housing had decreased in between 1918 to 2011.
Firstly, In 1918, percentage of owner occupied housing accounted for 78%, while it decreased significantly in [redacted phone], in between 40-68%, meanwhile, from [redacted phone], percentage was fluctuated carrying 30-38% respectively.
In contrast, the percentage of owner occupied housing was 22% in the year 1918, whereas it rose up to 50% in 1971, additionally , it increased rapidly in between [redacted phone] with 60-68%.
In the end, it clearly shows that people preference over living in their own accommodation had increased over the period of time, but households living in rented apartment declined during the period of time, which shows less interest of living in rented property.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the chart, but there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state that owner-occupied housing was 78% in 1918, whereas the chart shows it was the rented accommodation that started at approximately 78%. This reversal of data points is a major issue that impacts the accuracy of your summary. While you identify the overall trends—the rise in home ownership and the decline in renting—the misinterpretation of the starting figures and the confusing presentation of the data ranges (e.g., 'in between 40-68%') prevent a clear and accurate overview of the information provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Firstly', and 'In contrast' to signal transitions. However, the logical progression is hindered by the factual errors mentioned above. Additionally, some sentences are disjointed, such as the final paragraph, which repeats information already stated. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which category is being discussed. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used to connect related ideas, rather than just acting as labels, would improve the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use terms like 'residential units' and 'proportion', which are appropriate, but there is some repetition of phrases such as 'over the period of time'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'percentage was fluctuated', which should be 'the percentage fluctuated'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'upward trajectory', 'gradual decline', or 'remained relatively stable', rather than relying on basic verbs like 'increased' or 'decreased'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'percentage of owner occupied housing accounted for 78%' (missing articles), 'percentage was fluctuated' (incorrect passive voice), and 'people preference' (should be 'people's preference'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas and spacing issues. While you attempt complex sentences, the control over these structures is limited, leading to errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for articles and verb forms will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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