Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-28
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 illustration gives information about the ratio of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales in the years of 1918 and 2011.
It is quite evident from the bar chart from 1918 to 1971, the majority of the households were in rental homes and the minimum proportion of people was owning their home. In contrast, from 1981 to 2011, a large proportion of people owned their homes and lowest ratio were in rental homes. However, maximum percentage of rental homes was 78% whereas minimum was 31%. On the other hand, owners owned highest number of homes approximately 69% and the minimum was 22%.
Furthermore, in 1918 the owners around 22% and rental homes rose sharply at 78%. In the years of 1939 and 1953, both percentages remained same. Although in 1961 owners rose at 41% and rented homes steadily decreased to about 59%. However, priorities changed in the coming years, maximum people owned their accommodation.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student attempts to cover the main trends in the chart, noting the shift from rented to owned accommodation over the 1918 to 2011 period. However, the response contains several inaccurate figures. For instance, the text states 'maximum percentage of rental homes was 78% whereas minimum was 31%', while the chart shows rental starting at 77% in 1918 and ending at 36% in 2011 (dropping to a low of 31% in 2001). Furthermore, the opening sentence misinterprets the timescale, stating the data is only 'in the years of 1918 and 2011' rather than covering the whole span. While a general overview is attempted, these data inaccuracies and a lack of fully developed comparisons restrict the score to Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is divided into paragraphs, though the structuring feels slightly disjointed and mechanical. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'However', and 'On the other hand' are used to signal transitions, but their application is sometimes repetitive or logically awkward, as seen in the sequence of contrasting phrases in the second paragraph. The progression of ideas is occasionally difficult to follow because sentences jump between overall trends and specific data points without clear grouping. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion requires better logical sequencing to achieve a higher band. Overall, the organization is adequate for a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'accommodation', and 'priorities'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'ratio of households owning' instead of 'percentage of households owning', and 'owners owned highest number of homes', which sounds unnatural and redundant. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word choice lacks precision in several instances. Because the vocabulary range is sufficient to convey the basic message despite these errors, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing dependent clauses and transition markers (e.g., 'It is quite evident from the bar chart from 1918 to 2011...'). However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, such as missing prepositions or auxiliary verbs ('the owners around 22%', 'owners rose at 41%'), and awkward syntax like 'lowest ratio were in rental homes' (subject-verb agreement error). These errors occur frequently throughout the response, though they rarely impede overall communication. This performance aligns closely with the Band 5.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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