Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-05

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 bar chart compares the proportion of privately owned properties and leased residences in England and Wales over a period of 93 years starting from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, it is clear that the percentage of rented accomodation has steadily decreased across the period while the percentage of private residences has increased considerably over the period.

Moreover, the trend of rental and privately owned houses hit the same ratio in 1971 measured at 50%.

The proportion of leased properties significantly decreased from 77% in 1918 to 34% in 2011, while private properties percentage remarkbly increased to 64% in 2011, starting from 22% in 1918.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response only partially addresses the task and fails to meet the minimum word length requirement of 150 words, coming in at just 104 words. While the candidate provides an overview and identifies main features such as the overall trends and the crossover point in 1971 where both categories reached 50%, the development of ideas is limited. Furthermore, there are some minor inaccuracies in reporting the data, such as stating that the proportion of leased properties dropped to 34% in 2011 when the chart shows approximately 36%, and starting private properties at 22% instead of 23%. To achieve a higher band, the writer must write a fully developed response that meets the word count and ensures greater precision when reporting data from the visual.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response achieves overall coherence through a logical arrangement of ideas, moving from an introduction to an overview and then specific details. Paragraphing is used to separate different sections of the report. However, cohesion is at times mechanical or somewhat faulty; for instance, the transition 'Moreover' is used to introduce the crossover point, but the connection between sentences could flow more smoothly. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a fully developed structure prevents a higher level of logical progression. To improve, the writer should use a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure tighter links between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an attempt to use less common items and synonyms such as 'proportion', 'privately owned properties', 'leased residences', and 'remarkably'. However, there are notable spelling and word choice errors that prevent a higher score, such as the misspelling of 'accomodation' and 'remarkbly'. Additionally, some collocations could be more natural. To reach the next band, the writer needs to expand their lexical range, use less common vocabulary with greater precision and stylistic awareness, and eliminate spelling errors entirely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The bar chart compares...' and 'while private properties percentage remarkbly increased...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including an awkward phrasing in 'private properties percentage' and a missing comma, but these errors rarely impede communication. The writer shows adequate control over basic verb tenses like the past simple. To move to a higher band, the writer must incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences and maintain precise control over grammatical agreements and possessives.

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

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