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, a 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, a minimum percentage of people were living in owned houses in 1918. After a few years in 1939, more than 65% of households were in rented accommodation and almost 32% households in owned accommodation. Until 1953, it remained same. Then suddenly, we observed that the proportion of households were in rented accommodation dropped rapidly in upcoming years and it dropped to almost 31% until 2001. Conversely, the ratio of households were 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

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered the starting point (1918) and the end point (2011) and noted the significant shift in the middle of the period. However, the response lacks a clear paragraph structure, which makes it harder to follow the progression of data. Additionally, some of your descriptions are slightly imprecise; for example, stating that the figures 'remained same' until 1953 is a broad generalization that could be supported by more specific data points. To reach a higher band, ensure you group data logically and provide more precise comparisons between the two categories throughout the period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is coherent overall, but the lack of paragraphing is a significant issue. A Task 1 response should ideally be divided into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs to separate the data logically. While you use some cohesive devices like 'In contrast', 'Conversely', and 'Finally', the flow between sentences is sometimes repetitive. The structure feels like a single block of text, which hinders the logical progression of your analysis. Improving your paragraphing and using a wider variety of linking words would significantly enhance the readability and logical flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main points, such as 'proportion', 'decline', 'gradually', and 'significantly'. However, there is some repetition of basic phrases like 'percentage of households' and 'rented accommodation'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'a very tiny amount of people' or 'increased thoroughly'. To improve, try to use more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' (e.g., 'soared', 'plummeted', 'fluctuated') and avoid wordy phrases. Your spelling is generally accurate, which is a positive aspect of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('a maximum people', 'the ratio of the people') and verb forms ('the percentage of households were in rented accommodation'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'the ratio of households were in owned accommodation started to increase'. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.

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

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