Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-08

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 provided bar chart compares the proportion of house holds in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.

Overall, The households in rented accommodation accounted for the highest proportion until 1971 where both catagories remained at same proportion. Moreover, in the following years the situation was reversed and the households in owned accommodation experienced the largest proportion in contrast with the households in rented accommodation.

In the beginning in 1918, although the households in rented accommodation had the highest proportion of almost 77%, it decreased significantlyto just below 60% in 1961. Whereas the households in owned accommodation experienced the lowest proportion in the beginning with approximately 24%, however ith increased remakably to just above 40% in 1961.

In 1971, both catagories lie at same proportion of 50%. Moreover, from 1981 to 2001, the households in rented accommodation increased again to nearly 70%, whereas the households in owned accommodation decreased to almost 31%. In 2011, the households in rented accommodation decreased again to 64%, but the household in owned accommodation increased to almost 45%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad shift from renting to ownership and note the 1971 point at which the figures are equal, so the response includes relevant features. However, several key figures and trends are misreported, which limits how fully the chart is addressed. In particular, ownership rose from 60% in 1981 to 69% in 2001, while renting fell from 40% to 31%; your account reverses these movements. You also give the 2011 figures as about 45% and 64%, rather than approximately 64% owned and 36% rented. The overview is therefore partly accurate but does not reliably summarise the later period. Check each series against the chart before describing its direction.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the earlier and later years. This helps the reader follow the general comparison. However, progression is weakened by inaccurate descriptions of the later data and by connectors that do not always clarify the relationship between ideas. For example, “Moreover” is used repeatedly, including where a simple time transition would be clearer, and “Whereas” begins a fragment after the sentence about 1961. The final paragraph also moves between periods without clearly grouping the ownership and rental trends. Use chronological grouping consistently and connect each comparison directly to the correct series.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “proportion,” “decreased,” “increased,” and “accommodation,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, making parts of the report less precise. “Experienced the largest proportion” is unnatural for describing a chart, while “the situation was reversed” is too broad when the later figures are then described incorrectly. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “catagories,” “remakably,” and “significantlyto.” Aim for precise reporting verbs and standard forms, and proofread carefully. For example, describe a figure as “accounted for” a share or “stood at” a percentage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “although” and “whereas,” and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, some complex constructions are faulty or incomplete. “Whereas the households in owned accommodation experienced…” is not joined correctly to the preceding sentence, and “although …, it decreased …” is followed by another contrast that makes the sentence difficult to control. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and punctuation, such as “both catagories remained at same proportion” and the capital letter in “Overall, The.” Use complete clauses, check article use (“the same proportion”), and separate contrasting points into clear sentences.

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