Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-04

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 4.5)

The bar chart illustrates the ratio of owned and rented house in United kingdom and Wales between [redacted phone]

Overall, at first period the ratio of owned accommodation increase after few years the ratio of owned households dip sharply. However the ratio of rented accommodation soar after period by period. In contrast

Initially, the percentage of owned households remain at its peak which is 77% in 1918 and keep plummeting. Moreover the biggest change comes in rented houses at 2001 reaches 65% after a decade it drop slightly to 63%..

Secondly The percentage of owned houses drop to 68% in 1939 and the ratio of rental houses steeply increases after period by period at 1861 it reach 59% and keep dipping down sharply. Nevertheless The ratio of rental houses keep soaring year by year additionally at 2011 it stay at 63%. The ratio of owned houses rise again in 2011 and stop at 38%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to accurately report the main features. The data interpretation is significantly flawed; for example, you state that owned households were at a peak of 77% in 1918, whereas the chart shows a much lower figure. Furthermore, the chronological progression is confusing, and you mention years like 1861, which are not present in the provided chart. The overview is incomplete and lacks a clear summary of the overall trends. To improve, ensure you carefully read the data points and focus on the most significant changes rather than listing individual figures without context.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5

The essay lacks logical progression. Paragraphs are poorly structured, and the use of cohesive devices is often confusing or inappropriate, such as starting a sentence with 'In contrast' without a following clause. The transition between ideas is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the timeline of the data. The use of 'Secondly' is misplaced as there is no clear 'Firstly'. To improve, focus on grouping data logically—perhaps by category or by chronological phases—and use linking words more naturally to connect your sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic verbs like 'increase', 'dip', and 'soar'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'ratio of owned house' instead of 'percentage of owned accommodation'. Some terms are used inaccurately, which hinders the clarity of your report. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuate', 'decline', 'gradual', or 'significant', and ensure you use the correct terminology for statistical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'percentage... remain', 'ratio... increase'), missing articles, and incorrect tense usage. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the use of periods. These errors often impede the flow of the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and practicing the correct use of articles and prepositions in a formal context.

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

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