Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-29

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 6.0)

The provided bar chart compares the proportion of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011

Overall, while the percentage of households in owned accommodation increased over the years with a slight drop in the final year, rented accommodation represented a downward trend with a mild increase in the last year.

In 1918, only around 23% of households in England and Wales owned accommodation, the lowest figure on chart, followed by an increase to around 31% in 1939 and it plateaued at this level in 1953 as well before experiencing another raise to nearly 41% in 1961. In 1971, the proportion for both owned and rented accommodation was 50% of households. The figure rose to 60% and roughly 68% of households in 1981 and 1991 respectively and hovered around that level in 2001 before showing a slight decrease to around 64% in the final year.

By contrast, renting accommodation began at approximately 78% of households in 1981 but experienced a drop to 68% in 1939 and remained at this portion in 1953 too before plummeting to around 31% in 2001. Nevertheless, the percentage went up to about 37% in 2011.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task well. You have identified the main trends and provided relevant data points to support your summary. The overview is clear and highlights the inverse relationship between the two categories effectively. However, there is a significant factual error in the final paragraph: you stated that renting began at 78% in 1981, whereas the chart indicates this figure was for 1918. This inaccuracy affects the accuracy of the information reported. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed precisely from the chart to avoid misrepresenting the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'By contrast', 'Nevertheless', and 'followed by' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two categories. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the transition between the description of ownership and renting could be slightly more refined. The use of referencing is clear, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the information presented.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'plateaued', 'plummeting', and 'hovered'. These words are appropriate for describing trends in a graph. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'another raise' (should be 'rise') and 'at this portion' (should be 'at this level'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for the higher bands. Focusing on more varied collocations for describing data changes would improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over basic grammar, and your sentences are generally easy to follow. There are a few grammatical slips, such as 'the lowest figure on chart' (missing 'the') and 'another raise' (incorrect noun form). Punctuation is generally accurate, though some sentences would benefit from more careful proofreading to catch these small errors. The grammatical errors present do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching the level of 'frequent error-free sentences' required for a higher band.

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