Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-31

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 7.0)

The bar chart compares the proportion of households in England and Whales that owned their accommodation versus those that rented it, over the period from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, their was a clear reversal in trends. At the start of period, renting was far more common, but by the end, home ownership had become dominant. Both categories showed significant changes, and they intersected around 1971.

In 1918, rented accommodation was extremely popular, with about 78% of households, while only 23% owned their homes. The percentage of renters declined steadily over the next few decades, falling to approximately 68% in 1939 and 1953, and then to 58% in 1961. In contrast, home ownership rose gradually from 23% to 32% by 1939 and 1953 and reached 40% in 1961.

BY 1971, the figures for owning and renting were equal at roughly 50% each. After this point, the trends reversed completely. The proportion of home ownership continued to climb, peaking at about 66% in 1991 and 2001,, before dropping slightly to 61% in 2011.

In summary, home ownership overtook renting after 1971 and remained the more common form of accommodation for the rest of period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the trends and selected key data points to support your description. The comparison between the two categories is well-handled, particularly the identification of the 1971 intersection point. The information is accurate and covers the entire period from 1918 to 2011. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently include all relevant data points; for instance, you could have explicitly mentioned the final figure for rented accommodation in 2011 to provide a more complete picture of the final state of the market.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information chronologically. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'After this point', and 'In summary' effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the data. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the two categories is clearly established throughout the text, making the information easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a data description task, using terms like 'proportion', 'reversal', 'intersected', and 'dominant'. There is a minor spelling error ('Whales' instead of 'Wales') and a minor punctuation error (double comma after '2001'). While the vocabulary is sufficient and precise enough to convey the information clearly, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common synonyms for 'rose' or 'declined' would help elevate the lexical range to a higher level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. There is a minor grammatical error in the overview ('their was' instead of 'there was'). Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is generally sound, despite the minor slip mentioned. You demonstrate the ability to use complex structures, such as the participial phrase 'peaking at about 66% in 1991 and 2001', which adds variety to your writing. The errors present are non-systematic and do not impede communication.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.