Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-19

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 6.0)

The provided data below compares the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, it is immediately apparent that the proportion of families in rented accommodation declined throughout the given period, while the percentage of households in owned accommodation rose over the given period. Additionally, the highest share throughout the period was households in rented houses in 1918. By contrast, the lowest number of families shared their owned houses within the same year.

In 1918, the percentage of households in rented accommodation experienced the largest figure at approximately 77%. While, the lowest share accounted for families in owned accommodation at around 24%.

In 1939 and 1953, the number of households remained unchangerd in both cases, households in rented accommodation leveled off at about 68% and those in owned houses at about 32%.

From 1961 to 2001, the proportion of families in rented houses dropped from almost 59% to 31%. Conversely, the percentage of families in owned accommodation rose from 41% to almost 69%. In 2011, they changed slightly in opposite direction and the number of households in rented houses increased and in owned accommodation decreased.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main opposing trends and give a clear overview: renting falls while ownership rises, with renting higher at the start and ownership higher later. The figures you include for 1918, 1939–1953, and 1961–2001 are broadly accurate, and you note the slight reversal in 2011. This covers the task well. To make the overview more complete and precise, state that the two proportions meet at 50% in 1971 and that ownership peaks at about 69% in 2001 before declining. The claim that renting “declined throughout” is too broad because it rises again in 2011; qualify it as a long-term decline. Some comparisons, especially the final-year change, are mentioned but not quantified.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the early and later years. The sequence from 1918 through 2011 is easy to follow, and contrast markers such as “Conversely” help show the relationship between the two series. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, with repeated sentence openings such as “In 1918” and “In 1939 and 1953.” The sentence beginning “While, the lowest share…” is an incomplete and awkwardly connected fragment, and the final sentence joins several ideas without clear punctuation or separation. Grouping the data into clearer phases and using more precise links between comparisons would make progression smoother and references easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “proportion,” “declined,” “rose,” “remained unchanged,” and “Conversely,” which communicates the main trends. There are also attempts at more formal reporting language. Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing household percentages: “largest figure” and “lowest share accounted for families” are awkward, while “families shared their owned houses” does not express the intended meaning. “Number of households” is also less precise when the chart reports percentages. The misspelling “unchangerd” detracts from control. Aim for consistent, natural collocations such as “the proportion of households living in rented accommodation” and “the figure for owner-occupied homes,” and avoid switching between “families” and “households” without reason.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including a clear overview sentence with “while” and a comparison using “Conversely.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but some sentence structures and punctuation need more control. “While, the lowest share accounted for families…” is a fragment, and the comma after “While” is misplaced. The sentence about 1939 and 1953 combines two clauses awkwardly, while the final sentence contains several linked clauses without adequate punctuation. There is also a tense inconsistency in “they changed slightly” when describing the chart’s figures. Practise forming complete comparison sentences and separating independent clauses; this would improve accuracy while preserving the range of structures you already attempt.

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