Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-14
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 Presented column chart indicates the percentage of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011. The data is calibrated in percentage.
it Is conspicuous that households in rented accommodation compried 78% in 1918, which was the highest figre shown on the graph. It can also be observed that this proportion decreased gradually to 68% in 1939 and 1953, before falling to 58% in 1961. Moreover, the figure reached 50% in 1971, where both categories were equal.
As shown in the illustration, households in owned accommodation went through the most significant change, starting from 22% in 1918 and finally settling at 64% in 2011. The figure increased steadily to 42% in 1961 and 50 in 1971, before 62% in 1981 and approximtely 70% in 1991 and 2001. In contrast, rented accommodation fell to 40% in 1981 and 31% in 2001, although it rose slightly to 36% in 2011.
Overall, it IS quite BUT MOST evident from the graph that households in rented accommodation got the most preference in 1918, while households in oned accommodation wre calculated for the lowest proportion. Furthermore, a significant upturn in the proportion of households owning accommodation was observed over the given period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear summary of the main features and making relevant comparisons across the categories of owned and rented accommodation from 1918 to 2011. The writer successfully highlights key data points, such as the highest figure for rented accommodation in 1918 at 78% and the crossover point in 1971 where both categories reached 50%. The overall trends are also accurately captured, noting the significant increase in homeownership and the corresponding decline in renting. However, there are minor numerical inaccuracies in the body paragraphs, such as stating the figure reached '50 in 1971, before 62% in 1981', which detracts slightly from precision, but the overall task is addressed well.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical progression, moving from an introductory overview to detailed body paragraphs about rented and owned accommodations, and concluding with a summary statement. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate different aspects of the visual data. Cohesive devices are employed adequately to guide the reader, using phrases such as 'It can also be observed', 'As shown in the illustration', and 'In contrast'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally faulty or mechanical, and the abrupt formatting choices with capitalization detract slightly from the natural flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to data analysis such as 'percentage', 'proportion', 'category', 'decrease gradually', and 'increased steadily'. There are, however, several spelling errors ('compried' for comprised, 'figre' for figure, 'approximtely' for approximately, 'oned' for owned, 'wre' for were) and awkward lexical choices, such as 'got the most preference'. While these errors do not impede communication, they reflect limitations in accuracy and control that prevent the score from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like relative clauses and introductory dependent clauses ('As shown in the illustration, households in...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as missing words ('before 62% in 1981'), erratic capitalization ('it Is conspicuous', 'IS quite BUT MOST evident'), and minor punctuation issues. Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear and they rarely impede communication, placing the writing comfortably within the Band 6 descriptor range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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