Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The charts below show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of time spent doing housework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Percentage of households with electrical appliances (1920-2019)
Student answer (Band 5.5)
the charts shows the changes in the households owing the electrical appliances and the time taken by housework in households in a country over the time period of 99 years between the year 1920 and 2019
Overall we can say that the use of washing machines was highest in number in the beginning, and in 2019, the vacuum cleaner was used the most by households. on the other hand, number of hours spent on housework decreased from 1920 to 2019
In 1920, washing machines were owned by 40 per cent of households, and vacuum cleaners were owned by 30 per cent of people. The refrigerator was owned by 0 percent of people in 1920 but reached to the figure of 100 percent household in 1980
There was a sudden decrease in hours spent on housework by each household from the year 1920 to 1960, from 50 hours per week in 1920 to 20 hours per week in 2019 and a gradual decrease to 10 hours in 2019.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying key trends in appliance ownership and the decline in housework hours. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the statement that washing machines were the 'highest in number' in 1920 is inaccurate based on the provided data, and the description of the refrigerator trend is slightly confusing. The summary of housework hours contains contradictory information regarding the years 1960 and 2019. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited accurately and that the overview provides a more precise synthesis of the overall trends rather than just listing isolated figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, and the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally hindered by imprecise phrasing, such as the confusing timeline provided for the decrease in housework hours. While there is a clear attempt to group information, the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the flow feel somewhat disjointed. Improving the use of referencing and transition signals would enhance the overall coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the main points. However, the range is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'number', 'used', and 'owned'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'owing' instead of 'owning' and 'reached to the figure of', which is not standard collocation. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more precise reporting verbs and nouns related to statistical trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'proportion', to demonstrate a more flexible and academic command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the charts shows') and incorrect preposition usage ('reached to the figure'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters at the start of sentences and inconsistent spacing. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to distract the reader. To achieve a higher score, the student needs to focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and diversifying sentence structures to include more complex, error-free constructions.
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.