Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-04
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 given bar graph demonstrates the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and wales between 1918 and 2011 a period of 93 years. Overall the percentage of households owned increased during this period and the percentage of households rented decreased over that time.
It can be seen that in 1918 the percentage of hoseholds owned accommodation was approximately 24% and households in rented accommodation was round about 78% while, in 1939 and 1953 households owned accommodation was roughly 32% and households in rented accommodation was nearly 68% whereas,1961 households owned was 40% and households rented was approximately 59% altough the, the both remained same in 1971.
It is evident that in 1981 the households owned was 60% and households rented accommodation was 40% while,in 1991 households owned accommodation was 68% and households rented was approximately 32% and finally in 2011 a slight decreased was seen in households owned was approximately 62
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response satisfies the length requirement as a minimum of 150 words is necessary, but this script falls short at 138 words, with 17 words copied from the prompt left uncounted. The student does attempt to summarize the main features and trends, identifying the broad rise in homeownership and the fall in renting over the 1918 to 2011 period. An overview is present in the second sentence. However, the selection of data lacks precision and the reporting is overly mechanical, listing individual data points continuously without drawing broader comparisons. For instance, writing that 'in 1939 and 1953 households owned accommodation was roughly 32%' combines years without highlighting the stability between them effectively. Ideas are somewhat limited and under-developed, keeping the task achievement score at the lower end. To reach a higher level, the writer should ensure the word count requirement is met and integrate more synthetic comparisons of the trends rather than stringing isolated statistics together.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates some organization, presenting an introductory overview followed by body paragraphs detailing the statistical changes over time. However, there is no clear overall progression due to run-on sentences and dense chunks of data crammed into single paragraphs. Cohesive devices are weak, repetitive, and misused; phrases like 'while, in 1939', 'whereas,1961', and 'altough the, the both remained same' disrupt the flow and introduce mechanical awkwardness rather than logical connections. Paragraphing is also poorly managed, with the second paragraph becoming an unpunctuated wall of continuous dates and figures. To improve, the writer needs to break information down into digestible sentences, apply accurate linking words, and separate distinct time periods into clear, logically sequenced paragraphs.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The lexical range is limited but minimally adequate for describing the graph, using terms such as 'percentage', 'households', 'owned', and 'rented'. There are notable lexical and mechanical errors that stem from rushed phrasing and poor word forms, such as 'hoseholds' instead of 'households', 'round about', and 'slight decreased' instead of 'slight decrease'. These vocabulary choices and spelling slips indicate an adequate range for the basic task, but the execution contains recurring slips. To achieve a higher band, the writer should broaden their vocabulary to incorporate synonyms like 'property-owning', 'tenants', 'accommodation rates', and 'proportions', while eliminating basic spelling and word-form inaccuracies.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar and punctuation is weak, leading to frequent errors. There are run-on sentences containing multiple clauses strung together with commas instead of full stops or correct conjunctions, such as the entire second paragraph which operates as a single massive, breathless sentence. Errors include missing prepositions, subject-verb agreement issues like 'the households owned was 60%', and missing verbs in relative clauses. Punctuation is largely neglected, with commas misplaced around conjunctions ('while, in 1991'). These frequent structural flaws cause difficulty for the reader. To improve, the writer must focus on sentence boundaries, punctuation control, and accurate clause construction.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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