Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-07
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)
Writing.
The given task is in the form of bar chart showcasing the information about how many households living in accommodation and rental in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011. The data is calibrated in percentage. It is clear and coherent representation.
Overall, in terms of households in owned and rented accommodation, top seat was notched by rental accomodation as the time passed owned accomodation took the lead.
To commence with, in case of households owing and renting accommodation, the top seat is secured by rental accommodation with below 80% in 1918. Followed by owned accommodation with above 20%. Thereafter, the former figure showed an declined trend till 2001 with almost 30% before slightly rising to about 40% in 2011.
Getting into further details, the data for owned accommodation showed an incline trend throughout the time period with the highest peak of below 70% before showing slightly decline trend and reach approximately 65% in 2011.
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 features of the chart, identifying the shift from rental to owned accommodation. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the description of the trends is imprecise, using vague phrases like 'below 80%' and 'above 20%' rather than specific data points provided in the chart. The overview is also slightly confusing, as it refers to 'top seat' and 'owned accommodation took the lead' without clearly defining the timeframes or the specific crossover point. To reach a higher band, you should provide more precise data points and a more analytical comparison of the trends across the entire period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'To commence with' and 'Getting into further details'. The referencing is sometimes unclear; for instance, the phrase 'the former figure' is used to refer to rental accommodation, but the sentence structure makes the connection slightly difficult to follow. While there is a clear progression of ideas, the transitions between sentences could be smoother and more varied to improve the overall flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choices and non-standard collocations, such as 'top seat was notched by', 'calibrated in percentage', and 'incline trend'. These phrases sound unnatural in an academic context. While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the reliance on repetitive or imprecise phrasing prevents a higher score. Focusing on more academic collocations related to data description would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'The given task is in the form of bar chart' (missing article), 'showcased the information about how many households living in' (incorrect verb form), and 'showed an incline trend' (incorrect word form). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To improve, you should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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