Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-05
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 given bar chart demonstrates the proportion of households in owned as well as in rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.
The chart illustrates the records of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011. According to the chart, initially in 1918, maximum people lived in rented accomodation and a very tiny amount of people lived in their owned houses. But with the passage of time, the ratio of rented houses faced a decline gradually. In contrast, the percentage of the people lived in their owned accommodations increased thoroughly.
In the start, a wide range of individuals lived in rented accommodations. Therefore, minimum percentage of people lived in owned houses in 1918. After few years in 1939, more than 65% of households in rented accommodation and almost 32% households in owned accomodation. Until 1953, it remained same. Then suddenly, we observed that the proportion of households in rented accommodation dropped rapidly in upcoming years and it dropped to almost 31% until 2001. In contrary, the ratio of households in owned accommodation started to increase significantly.
Finally in 2011, the percentage of households in owned accommodation declined slightly and the ratio of rented accommodation increased a little bit.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main trends and provides data points, which is positive. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, you mention that in 1939, 65% lived in rented accommodation, but the chart shows a figure closer to 70%. Furthermore, the description of the trends is occasionally imprecise, such as stating the figures 'remained same' until 1953, which is not fully supported by the visual data. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with greater accuracy and that the overview clearly highlights the most significant shifts across the entire period rather than just focusing on specific years.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices like 'In contrast' and 'Finally', which are effective. However, the transition between sentences can feel a bit mechanical, and some linking phrases are used repetitively or slightly awkwardly, such as 'In the start' or 'In contrary'. To improve, try to vary your cohesive devices and ensure that the relationship between sentences is more fluid. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be tightened to improve the overall flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe trends like 'decline' and 'increase'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'maximum people' instead of 'the majority of people' and 'thoroughly' used incorrectly to describe an increase. There are also minor spelling errors like 'accomodation' (should be 'accommodation'). To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and collocations, such as 'a significant proportion' or 'a gradual downward trend', rather than relying on simpler descriptive phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the percentage of the people lived' (should be 'the percentage of people living') and 'After few years' (should be 'After a few years'). Additionally, some sentences lack a main verb, such as 'almost 32% households in owned accomodation'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that every sentence contains a clear, active verb structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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