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 accommodation 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 accommodation. 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. Conversely, 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

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a clear overview of the trends, identifying the main shift from rented to owned accommodation. However, the data reporting is inconsistent. For instance, the statement 'until 1953, it remained same' is inaccurate based on the provided chart, and the description of the 1939 figures is slightly imprecise. While the main features are highlighted, the analysis lacks precision in referencing specific data points, which is necessary for a higher band. The conclusion is brief but captures the final trend. To improve, ensure that data points are accurately transcribed and that the relationship between the two categories is more consistently explained throughout the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Conversely', and 'Finally' are used to link ideas. However, the progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'the percentage of households in owned accommodation'). The transition between the general overview and the specific data points could be smoother. Overall, the information is arranged coherently, but the use of cohesive devices lacks the flexibility required for a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends (e.g., 'gradually', 'dropped rapidly', 'increased significantly'). However, there is a reliance on basic phrasing and some unnatural collocations, such as 'maximum people' instead of 'the majority of people' or 'a wide range of individuals'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated synonyms. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe statistical changes and avoid repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses 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 'living'), 'After few years' (should be 'After a few years'), and 'it remained same' (should be 'it remained the same'). These errors occur frequently enough to be noticeable but do not impede communication. The control over articles and prepositions is inconsistent. Increasing the variety of complex structures and improving proofreading to eliminate basic grammatical slips would significantly enhance the score.

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

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