Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-27

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below shows what Anthropology graduates from one university did after finishing their undergraduate degree course. The table shows the salaries of the anthropologists in work after five years.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparison where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

table illustrates the percentage distribution of people living in different household and family types in Great Britain between 1971 and 2007.

Overall, the most noticeable trend is that households consisting of couples with dependent children declined steadily throughout the period. In contrast, one-person households, childless couples, and lone-parent families became increasingly common, indicating significant changes in family structure over the 36-year period.

In 1971, couples with dependent children accounted for the largest proportion of households, at 52%. However, this figure fell consistently over the years, reaching 47% in 1981, 41% in 1991, 39% in 2001, and finally 36% in 2007. By comparison, couples without children experienced gradual growth, rising from 19% in 1971 to 20% in 1981 and 23% in 1991, before reaching 25% in both 2001 and 2007. Meanwhile, the proportion of couples with non-dependent children remained relatively stable throughout the period, fluctuating only slightly between 9% and 11%.

A similar upward trend can be seen in smaller households. The percentage of people living alone doubled from 6% in 1971 to 12% in 2001 and then remained unchanged in 2007. Likewise, lone-parent households increased considerably, climbing from just 4% in 1971 to 6% in 1981, before reaching 10% in 1991 and 12% by both 2001 and 2007.

In conclusion, the data clearly suggest that traditional family households with dependent children became less common over time, while smaller and more diverse household arrangements grew in popularity across Great Britain.

Band Scores

Overall: 9

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0

The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for a summary of data regarding Anthropology graduates' activities and salaries, but the student has written a report about household and family types in Great Britain. Because the student failed to address the actual task requirements, this criterion is severely impacted. While the report itself is well-structured and uses data effectively, it is irrelevant to the provided prompt. Consequently, it cannot be assessed as a successful completion of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'By comparison', and 'Meanwhile' is effective and creates a logical flow of information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related data points. Despite the content being entirely unrelated to the prompt, the internal structure and logical progression of the text are of a high standard.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The vocabulary is varied and precise, demonstrating a good range of academic language. Phrases such as 'percentage distribution', 'accounted for the largest proportion', and 'fluctuating only slightly' are used accurately. The student shows an ability to use less common lexical items effectively to describe trends and changes over time. The language is natural and sophisticated, which is appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 1 response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. The student uses complex sentences effectively, such as 'The percentage of people living alone doubled from 6% in 1971 to 12% in 2001 and then remained unchanged in 2007.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are virtually no grammatical errors. The control over sentence structure is excellent, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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