Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-21

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 4.5)

The given bar chart illustrates changes in the percentages of households in owned and rented accommodation across England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.

Overall, it is evident that all regions experienced an upward trend over the period. While households in rented accommodation consistently the highest figures, households in owned accommodation remains the lowest despite significant growth.

Looking at the lowest figures first, in 1918 households in owned accommodation and households in rented accommodation stood at around 23% and 75% , respectively, by 1971 these both figure increased to 50%. By 2011 ,a households in owned accommodation growth is expected, though they will still remain the least households is owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales.

In contrast , in 1939 households in owned accommodation and households in rented accommodation demonstrated much higher initial rates 67% . Although their growth was slower, 2011 is forecast lower just under 64% by end year ,maintaining its dominant position

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the chart’s subject and includes the broad convergence at 1971, when ownership and renting are both about 50%. However, the overview is substantially inaccurate: it says all figures rise and renting remains highest, whereas ownership generally rises to a peak in 2001 before falling, and renting generally declines before a small late increase. Several details are confused: the 1939 figures are about 32% owned and 68% rented, not a single “67%” rate, and the 2011 ownership figure is about 64%, not a forecast. The response also does not meet the 150-word minimum; it is one word short, with prompt-copied words excluded. To improve, report the main trends accurately and compare the endpoints and turning points.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In contrast” show an attempt to guide the reader. However, progression is difficult to follow because the comparisons are not consistently organised by year or by accommodation type. The final paragraph’s reference to 1939 and then 2011 is especially unclear, and “Looking at the lowest figures first” does not lead into a clear sequence of data. Some linking phrases also suggest relationships that the information does not support. Group the figures chronologically or describe ownership and renting together at key points, and use clear references such as “the ownership rate” and “the rental share” to make the comparisons easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some suitable chart vocabulary, including “percentages,” “upward trend,” “stood at,” and “dominant position,” and the topic is generally recognisable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which makes parts of the report hard to interpret. For example, “all regions” is not appropriate because the chart compares accommodation types, while “a households in owned accommodation growth” and “the least households is owned and rented accommodation” do not express the intended meaning clearly. “Initial rates 67%” also leaves the comparison unspecified. Use precise terms such as “ownership rate,” “rental share,” “rose,” “fell,” and “accounted for,” and check that each phrase clearly identifies the figure being described.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a range of sentence forms, including a contrast clause beginning “While” and a sentence with “Although,” but grammatical control is inconsistent. In “While households in rented accommodation consistently the highest figures,” the main verb is missing; “households in owned accommodation remains” has subject–verb disagreement; and “these both figure increased” has errors in number and verb form. The sentence beginning “By 2011” is also difficult to parse because its clauses do not form a clear grammatical structure. Punctuation spacing is inconsistent, and the final sentence has an unclear tense construction. Build shorter, complete sentences first, checking that each has a subject and verb, then add subordinate clauses once the basic structure is secure.

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