Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-20

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 bar chart displays the proportion of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.

Overall, households that owned accommodation had increased whilst households that rented had decreased throughout the given period.

Initally, households in rented accommodation had the largest propotion at around 78% in 1918, the highest percentage of all time. Conversely, households in owned accommodation was at its lowest point at around 22%. Households that rented slightly decreased to approximately 69% in 1939 while households that owned rose to ust over 30%. They both remained the same in 1953 before owned witnessed a jump to approxiamtely 40% in 1961 whilst rented declined to under 60%. They bth continued to rise and decline respectively before ovelapping at 50% each in 1971.

Households in owned apartments continued to witnessed dramatice increase between 1981 and 2001, from 60% to reaching just under 70%, the highest percentage point for it in 2001, before experiencing a slight decrease to about 64% in 2011. Conversely, households in rentend plunged

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast and several key stages accurately: renting falls from about 78% to 50% by 1971, while ownership rises from roughly 22% to parity, then reaches a peak just below 70% in 2001 before declining to 64% in 2011. The overview captures the broad opposing trends, and the figures are generally consistent with the chart. However, the overview says ownership increased and renting decreased “throughout,” which overlooks the reversal in 2011. The final sentence is cut off after “plunged,” leaving the rented-accommodation trend for 1981–2011 incomplete. To strengthen the report, complete this comparison and make the overview reflect the late-period reversal as well as the overall pattern.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological account of the data. Time markers such as “in 1918,” “in 1953,” and “in 1971” help readers follow the changes, while “Conversely” signals the relationship between the two categories. However, the main body is presented as one long paragraph, and the final sentence ends abruptly, disrupting the progression. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated “whilst” and “Conversely.” Grouping the early years and later years into separate paragraphs, then completing the final comparison, would make the organisation clearer and cohesion less repetitive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “declined,” “remained,” and “slight decrease,” and the reader can generally understand the trends. There is also some variety in describing movement, such as “rose,” “decreased,” and “continued.” However, several spelling errors—“Initally,” “propotion,” “approxiamtely,” “bth,” and “rentend”—reduce accuracy. Some choices are awkward or imprecise: “households in owned apartments” changes the chart’s category, “dramatice increase” is not a natural collocation, and “highest percentage point” is less suitable than “highest proportion.” Aim for accurate spelling and consistent chart terminology, and choose verbs that describe the size and direction of changes precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including contrast clauses with “whilst” and time clauses such as “before experiencing a slight decrease.” Most of the intended comparisons remain understandable. Some grammatical errors are evident, however: “households that owned accommodation had increased” uses an unsuitable tense for describing chart data, and “households in owned accommodation was” has a subject–verb agreement problem. The construction “continued to witnessed” also uses the wrong verb form after “to,” while “from 60% to reaching just under 70%” is not parallel. The final sentence is incomplete. Use the present simple for chart descriptions, check agreement with plural “households,” and keep paired structures grammatically parallel.

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.