Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-13
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 line graphs illustrate the information about the possession of electrical appliances and the amount of time individuals spent on chores in households in between 1920 and 2019. The data was given in hours per week.
Overall, refrigerator was accounted for highest buying in electrical appliances, whereas washing machine made up the smallest percentage of total sales.
In 1920, refrigerator was not as good as other it started at nearly 1. Afterwards, it increased significantly till 1980 and stayed at 100 and show no change till 2019. Moreover, there was only 10 percent difference in washing machine and vacuum cleaner and washing machine is higher than vacuum and started at 40 and sharply increased till 1960 around at 70, the number are same in 2000, except 5% decreased in 1980 but rose in 2019 around 75.
On the other hand, In 1920 the rate of hours per week is 50 and it drastically decreased till 1980 around at 15, show no change in 2000 and fall in 2019 around 10 hours per week.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the trends for appliance ownership and housework hours. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and lacks precision. For instance, the description of the refrigerator trend as 'not as good as other' is vague and inaccurate. The comparison between the washing machine and vacuum cleaner is confusingly phrased, making it difficult to follow the specific data points. While the overall trend is identified, the response would benefit from a more structured approach to comparing the two distinct datasets (appliances vs. housework hours) and highlighting the inverse relationship between them more clearly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader navigate the information. However, the logical progression within paragraphs is often hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of clear cohesive devices. For example, the transition 'Moreover, there was only 10 percent difference' feels abrupt and does not effectively link the previous sentence to the new data. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as when the text mentions 'the number are same', without clearly specifying which appliances are being compared. The use of linking words is limited, leading to a somewhat mechanical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choice, such as 'refrigerator was accounted for highest buying' and 'the rate of hours per week'. These phrases do not accurately reflect the data presented. The range of vocabulary is limited, with repetitive use of basic verbs like 'increased', 'decreased', and 'show'. To improve, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuated', or 'a downward trend'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('refrigerator was accounted for', 'the number are same'), incorrect article usage ('the refrigerator', 'a refrigerator'), and awkward sentence construction. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalisation. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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