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 proportion of homes that were owner-occupied and rented in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.

Overall, in the earlier years, the majority of people did not own their homes, so they lived in rented accommodation. However, over time, more people started living in their own homes, while the proportion of those living in rented accommodation decreased.

Back in 1918, only a few people in England and Wales lived in their own homes, while the majority lived in rented accommodation. In 1939, the proportion of owner-occupied homes increased, but it was still lower than the proportion of rented homes. The figures were similar in 1953. In 1971, the figures for owned and rented accommodation were equal, at around 50% each.

Over the years, the proportion of owner-occupied homes increased, and by 1981, the majority of people owned their homes. In contrast, the proportion of people living in rented accommodation was slightly lower. The figures for 1991 and 2001 were similar, with most residents living in their own homes. However, only a small proportion of people lived in rental accommodation, which was slightly lower than in the previous years. In 2011, the proportion of owner-occupied homes decreased compared with the previous decade, but it remained higher than the proportion of rented homes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear overview and reporting the main features of the chart throughout the period from 1918 to 2011. Key trends are correctly identified, such as the inversion of percentages where homeownership overtook renting, supported by accurate data points like the 50-50 split in 1971. The comparison is well balanced, though some minor numerical details could have been woven in more tightly to enhance precision. Nevertheless, the response is fully developed and well grounded in the visual data, meeting all requirements for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised and progresses clearly from the initial overview through the beginning of the period to the final decades. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct phase of the timeline. Cohesive devices are handled adequately, using temporal markers such as 'Back in 1918', 'In 1939', and 'Over the years' to guide the reader through the data. However, some transitions are slightly repetitive, preventing the response from reaching higher bands where cohesion is more seamlessly integrated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, successfully employing terms like 'proportion', 'owner-occupied', 'accommodation', and 'decreased'. While the vocabulary is generally appropriate and communicates the trends effectively, there is a lack of sophisticated or less common lexical items (such as 'surpass', 'predominantly', or 'fluuctuate'). Word choice is mostly accurate, though slightly basic in places, but never impedes comprehension.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

A good mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response, with subordinate clauses functioning effectively (e.g., 'while the proportion of those living in rented accommodation decreased'). Grammatical control is generally strong; the majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled well. Although complex structures are attempted successfully, the overall structural range remains somewhat conventional rather than wide, supporting a solid band 7.

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