Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-09

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 image of bar graph compares the percentage of types of accommodation (rented and owned) for the individuals who live in England and Wales from year 1918 to 2011.

Overall, the general trends of households in rented accommodation is highest in 1918 over the years it shows a rapid decline but then in 2011 it started rising by 5 percent.In addition, the number of people who owned their private houses is highest during 2001.

The number of houses which are owned by the owners was the least in 1918 but then it started rising over the years, However in 2011 it shows fluctuation by decreasing approx 5 percent. But 1971 is the only year in which the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation is constant/same. after 1971 there was a rapid growth in owned accommodation and the number of rented accommodation was decreasing over the years.

After 2001, there was a slight change in accommodation the owned accommodation starts decresing and the rented accommodation starts increasing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast and overall movement: renting falls from its high starting point, ownership rises, and the two are equal in 1971. You also note the reversal after 2001. These are relevant features and broadly match the chart. However, some details are unclear or imprecise: rented accommodation does not simply “start rising by 5 percent” in 2011; it rises from about 31% to 36%, while ownership falls from about 69% to 64%. The overview also says ownership is highest in 2001 without explaining that it dips slightly by 2011. Develop the key stages with a few accurate figures and make the overview more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about ownership and the later change. The comparison that 1971 is the point of equality also gives the reader a useful organising feature. However, progression is not consistently clear: the overview repeats information that is revisited in the final paragraphs, and the long third paragraph combines several stages. Linking words such as “However” and “In addition” are sometimes awkwardly placed or do not clearly show the relationship between ideas. Separate the overview from the detailed comparisons, group the early and later periods, and use clearer references to the two accommodation types to make the sequence easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “rented accommodation,” “owned accommodation,” “percentage,” “decline,” and “decreasing,” so the main subject is generally clear. There are also attempts to describe change, such as “rapid growth” and “slight change.” However, some expressions are repetitive or imprecise: “the number of houses which are owned by the owners” is unnecessarily wordy, and “fluctuation” does not accurately describe a single decrease. Spelling errors such as “decresing” also reduce accuracy. Aim for concise, chart-appropriate collocations and vary the verbs used to describe trends, while checking spelling and avoiding repeated wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “However” and a time clause beginning “After 2001.” The main comparisons can usually be understood, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems make the writing less controlled. For example, “the general trends … is highest” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “1971 is the only year … same. after 1971” has faulty sentence boundaries and capitalization. Tense and sentence construction are also inconsistent in “it started rising” and “the owned accommodation starts decresing.” Use complete sentences, maintain consistent past-tense reporting, and check agreement and punctuation when joining contrasting clauses.

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