Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-12
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 5.0)
The bar chart demonstrates the ratio of household in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between time period 1918 and 2011.
Overall, the bar chart is divided in the whole time period and on each time period it shows some percentage of households in owned accommodation and in rented accommodation.
Firstly, in 1918 the percentage of households in rented accommodation was at peak around 75% but in owned accommodation it was at lowest 22%.Moreover, in next 14 consecutive years the ratio of both accommodations was constant.But, in the next year 1961, the household owned accommodation rose to 40% while rented accommodation percentage fell.
However, in 1971 rented and owned accommodation was at the same percentage, but after that, owned accommodation household percentage gradually started increasing and then faced little decline in 2011. But, the percentage of household in rented accommodation faced continuous decline through out the time period and was 35% in 2011.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response successfully covers the main features of the chart by identifying the inverse trends between owned and rented accommodation from 1918 to 2011. The writer correctly points out that rented accommodation started at a peak of around 75% while owned accommodation was at its lowest at 22%. Key milestones, such as the crossover point around 1971 and the final figures for 2011, are also reported. However, some data points are inaccurate or vaguely described, such as stating that the ratio remained constant for the next 14 consecutive years or misinterpreting the intervals between survey years. While all parts of the task are addressed, the lack of precision in reporting specific dates and percentages keeps this response at Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay displays a basic overall progression, starting with an introductory overview followed by body details outlining the chronological changes. Paragraphing is attempted, though the division of ideas could be more logical. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions, but some are awkward or repetitive, such as 'Firstly,' 'Moreover,' 'But,' and 'However.' Referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'the household owned accommodation rose' or 'in the next year 1961,' which interrupt the flow. Paragraphing boundaries are also slightly compressed. These cohesion and referencing flaws place the response securely in the Band 5.0 range.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for conveying basic trends, incorporating terms like 'percentage,' 'accommodation,' 'peak,' 'lowest,' 'constant,' and 'decline.' However, the range is limited, and there are noticeable word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'ratio of household in owned and rented accommodation' instead of 'proportion of households,' and 'household owned accommodation' instead of 'owner-occupied accommodation.' Spelling is generally accurate, but the restricted vocabulary and recurring lexical inaccuracies mean the response cannot exceed Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, including 'the ratio of household in' (pluralisation error), 'was at peak around' (missing article), 'at lowest 22%' (missing article), and 'through out' (spacing error). Complex structures often contain awkward syntax, such as 'the percentage of household in rented accommodation faced continuous decline through out the time period.' While these errors do not completely impede communication, their frequency prevents the essay from reaching a higher band, making Band 5.0 the most appropriate score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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