Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-15

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 8.5)

The line charts illustrate the proportion of households possessing three electrical appliances (washing machines, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners) alongside the weekly hours spent on domestic chores in a single country between 1920 and 2019.

Overall, the ownership of all three household appliances rose significantly over the century, with refrigerators and vacuum cleaners eventually reaching total saturation. Concurrently, there was a dramatic decline in the amount of time devoted to housework per week across households.

In 1920, the washing machine was the most common appliance, present in 40% of households, while vacuum cleaners were at 30% and refrigerators were virtually non-existent at under 5%. However, refrigerator ownership experienced the most rapid growth, surging to 90% by 1960 and reaching 100% saturation by 1980. Vacuum cleaner usage grew steadily, hitting 100% by the year 2000. In contrast, washing machine ownership saw more gradual increase, rising to 70% in 1960, fluctuating slightly in 1980, and finishing at approximately 75% in 2019.

An inverse relationship is visible regarding the time spent on domestic chores. In 1920, households spent 50 hours per week on housework. As electrical appliances became widespread, this figure dropped sharply to 20 hours by 1960. The decline continued at a more gradual rate over the next six decades, eventually plateauing at around 10 to 12 hours per week in 2019.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified all key trends and made relevant comparisons between the appliance ownership data and the time spent on housework. The overview is clear and effectively captures the main features of the charts. You have highlighted the inverse relationship between the two datasets, which demonstrates a high level of analytical skill. All parts of the prompt are addressed thoroughly, and the data is used accurately to support your points throughout the report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from the introduction and overview to the specific details of appliance ownership, and finally to the analysis of housework time. Cohesive devices such as 'Concurrently', 'In contrast', and 'As electrical appliances became widespread' are used naturally and effectively to link information. The paragraphing is skillful and contributes to the overall clarity of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary. Phrases like 'total saturation', 'virtually non-existent', 'surging to', and 'inverse relationship' are used with precision and natural collocation. The language is consistently appropriate for an academic report, and there are no errors in word choice or spelling. The vocabulary is varied and contributes significantly to the professional tone of the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'In 1920, the washing machine was the most common appliance, present in 40% of households, while vacuum cleaners were at 30%...'. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no grammatical errors. The control over sentence structure is excellent, making the text very easy to read.

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