Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

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 until 2001, before falling slightly by 2011.

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

By 1971, both rented and owned properties figures were at the same level, 50%. In 1991, more than 65% of people owned their private properties, rather than relying on rented houses, the proportion of which was nearly 32%. By the end of the period in 2011, the proportion of owned properties were 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 covers all parts of the task by comparing the proportions of owned and rented accommodation over the specified period. An appropriate overview is provided, highlighting the main trend that owner-occupied properties increased significantly until 2001 before dropping slightly. Key features are accurately reported and supported with data from the chart, such as the crossover point in 1971 where both stood at 50%. However, there is a minor error in the final paragraph where the student states the proportion decreased 'from 68% to 64%', whereas it actually decreased from 69% in 2001 to 64% in 2011. Overall, the response is well-developed and meets all the requirements of Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The text demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is appropriately paragraphed, featuring a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and well-structured body paragraphs that progress chronologically through the data. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1918', 'By 1971', and 'By the end of the period' are used effectively to guide the reader through the information. Referencing is generally clear, though minor improvements in transitional phrasing between sentences could make the cohesion even smoother.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms such as 'proportions', 'owner-occupied', 'accommodation', and 'relying on'. There are a few instances of awkward phrasing or minor word choice errors, such as 'approximately 32% properties were owned' and 'owned properties figures', but these do not impede communication. Less common lexical items are attempted with some success, demonstrating sufficient flexibility for a Band 6.5 or 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

A mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response, including dependent clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'accounting for nearly 77%'). There are occasional grammatical inaccuracies, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the proportion of owned properties were slightly decreased'), but these do not impede overall understanding. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the majority of sentences are structured correctly, supporting a solid Band 6.5 performance.

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