Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-21

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 graph illustrates the pecentage of people who lived in owned and rented house in two countries England and Wales being shown from 1918 to 2011.

As can be seen in the bar graph, in 1918 almost 78% of people lived in rented accommodation. However, from 1939 to 2001 the figure for people who lived in rented accomndation decreased considerably. Eventually in 2011 the graph for rented households increased and reached roughly 39%.

According to the graph, in 1918 the figure for owned accommodation at 21%, whereas from 1939 to 2001 the graph for owned accomondation increased substaintially. In addition, in 2011 the number of owned households decreased and reached 61%. Moreover, in 1971 the graph for rented house and owned house at the same peak.

Overall, it is clear from the graph that owned accommondation remained popular throughout the period. whereas, rented accommondation experienced a significant fall in popularity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student covers the main trends in the bar chart, noting the overall shift from rented to owned accommodation between 1918 and 2011, and correctly identifies key data points such as the crossing point in 1971 where both figures stood at 50%. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting specific figures; for example, the student states that owned accommodation was at 21% in 1918 (actual is around 23%) and that rented accommodation reached 39% in 2011 (actual is around 36%). Despite these minor data discrepancies, the main features and general comparisons are successfully reported, fulfilling the core requirements of an Academic Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into a clear introduction, body paragraphs detailing the trends, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Eventually', 'In addition', and 'Moreover' are used to connect ideas and signal shifts in time. However, some referencing is slightly awkward or mechanical, such as 'the graph for rented households' being used to refer to the statistical data or percentages themselves. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the response logically, ensuring an overall coherent progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, attempting less common phrases such as 'decreased considerably', 'increased substantially', and 'popularity'. However, there are notable spelling errors throughout the text, including 'pecentage', 'accomndation', and 'substaintially'. There are also minor lexical inaccuracies, such as using 'countries England and Wales' rather than regions or countries, and repetitive phrasing regarding 'the graph for...'. While communication is not severely impeded, these vocabulary and spelling errors prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating time clauses and comparative structures (e.g., 'As can be seen in the bar graph, in 1918 almost 78% of people lived in rented accommodation'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'were England and Wales being shown from' and 'rented house and owned house at the same peak' (missing a verb). Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the overall comprehension of the report.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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