Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-18

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 graph illustrates the proportion of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales 1918 to 2011.

Overall, it is clearly seen that the percentage for owning houses displays an upward trend, while the figure for rented properties declines during the time frame.

In details of households renting was stood at around 78% in 1918, which was the highest proportion in the given time period. In 1939 and 1953 this proportion was saw similar proportion at 78%. This ratio was gradually decreased and reached at 32% in 2001. In addition, 36% households renting in last given period.

However, the percentage of households in owned accommodation was steadily increased from 23% in 1918 to approximately 60% in 1981. The households in owned accommodation followed an similar proportion around 78% in 1991 and 2001, respectively. After ten year, around 65% people lived in households in owned accommodation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two opposing overall trends, and several figures are close to the chart: ownership rises from 23% in 1918 to about 60% in 1981, while renting reaches its low point in 2001 before increasing in 2011. However, important data are misreported: renting was about 68%, not 78%, in both 1939 and 1953, and ownership was about 68–69%, not 78%, in 1991 and 2001. The overview also says ownership rises overall without noting its slight fall after 2001. The response is three words below the required minimum. More accurate comparisons and a fuller account of the later changes would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for renting and ownership. The contrastive transition “However” helps signal the shift between the two categories, and the information generally follows the timeline. Cohesion is not always smooth, though. Phrases such as “In details of households renting” and “In addition” do not clearly connect the points that follow, while “this proportion” is repeated without adding much clarity. The final sentence also gives a later figure without clearly linking it to the preceding comparison. Use more precise transitions and references, and organise each category’s figures into a clear progression from early to late years.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “upward trend,” “declines,” and “accommodation,” so the topic is clear. There is some variation in how you describe the two categories, but several word combinations and forms are inaccurate or awkward: “In details,” “was stood at,” “was saw similar proportion,” and “followed an similar proportion.” These errors make parts of the report less natural and occasionally slow the reader. Aim for standard chart-reporting collocations such as “stood at,” “remained at a similar level,” and “the proportion of households.” Also avoid switching to “people” when the chart measures households; consistent, precise terminology will improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which was the highest proportion” and a contrastive sentence beginning “However.” However, errors occur frequently in verb forms and sentence construction, as in “was stood at,” “was saw,” and “was steadily increased.” There are also problems with articles and agreement in “an similar proportion,” and the phrase “36% households renting in last given period” is not a complete, well-formed sentence. These patterns show that complex structures are not yet controlled consistently, although the main message can usually be understood. Practise forming accurate past-tense clauses and complete sentences, for example, “The figure for renting stood at 36% in 2011.”

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.