Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-20

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 6.0)

The bar chart compares the proportions of owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, the proportion of owner-occupied properties increased throughout the period untill 2001, before falling slightly by 2011.

In 1918, above 20% of houses were owned, while the remaining were rented, accounting for nearly 77%. In the mid-20th century, the figure rose gradually, reaching at approximately 32% properties were owned, and others 68% were rented. In 1961, owned properties portion increased by 9%, accounted for roughly 41%, whereas rented accommodation percentages decreased from 68% to 59%.

By 1971, both rented and owned properties figure was at the same level, 50%. In 1991, more than 65% of people owned their private properties, rather than relying on rented houses, whose portion was nearly 32%. By the end of the period in 2011, owned properties portion was slightly decreased from 68% to 64%, while rented houses made up nearly 36%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the entire time period from 1918 to 2011. An effective overall trend is provided in the second paragraph, noting the long-term increase in owner-occupied properties until 2001 followed by a slight decline. Key data points, such as the crossover point in 1971 where both categories reached 50%, and the initial 1918 figures (23% owned and 77% rented), are accurately selected and reported. While there are a few minor numerical inaccuracies in the body paragraphs—such as stating that owned properties decreased from 68% to 64% in 2011 when the 1991 figure was actually 68%—the response clearly covers all necessary aspects and provides a well-rounded summary of the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from the introduction to the overview, followed by chronological body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different periods of time. Cohesive devices are employed with reasonable success, such as transitional phrases like 'In 1918', 'By 1971', and 'By the end of the period'. However, some cohesive links and referencing are slightly mechanical or repetitive, and sentences within paragraphs occasionally feel disconnected due to minor awkwardness in transitions. Overall, the logical structure is clear throughout, and the information is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, using terms such as 'proportions', 'owner-occupied', 'percentage', and 'accommodation'. There are some successful attempts at less common vocabulary, but also noticeable lexical and word-choice errors, such as 'untill' (spelling error), 'properties portion' instead of 'proportion of properties', and awkward phrasing like 'reaching at approximately 32% properties were owned'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a Band 6 level where vocabulary control shows some inconsistency and lack of precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordinate clauses and comparative structures (e.g., 'while the remaining were rented', 'whereas rented accommodation percentages decreased'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward constructions throughout the text, such as 'above 20% of houses were owned' (instead of 'over 20%'), 'reaching at approximately 32% properties were owned', and 'both rented and owned properties figure was at the same level'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the grammatical inaccuracies occasionally require the reader to re-read sentences, placing this performance firmly in the Band 6 category.

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