Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 charts illustrate changes in the percentage of households that owned three electrical appliances and the average number of hours spent on housework per week in one country between 1920 and 2019.

Overall, ownership of electrical appliances increased considerably during the period. Refrigerators and vacuum cleaners eventually became present in almost every household. At the same time, the number of hours spent doing housework fell significantly.

In 1920, washing machines were the most common appliance, being owned by around 40% of households, while approximately 30% had a vacuum cleaner. In contrast, almost no households owned a refrigerator. By 1940, ownership of all three appliances had increased to around 50–60%. Refrigerator ownership then rose rapidly, reaching about 90% in 1960 and 100% in 1980. Vacuum cleaner ownership also increased steadily, reaching 100% by 2000. Washing machine ownership increased more slowly and experienced a slight fall from around 70% in 1960 to approximately 65% in 1980, before rising to about 75% in 2019.

Meanwhile, the amount of time spent on housework decreased dramatically. In 1920, households spent approximately 50 hours per week on housework. This fell to 35 hours in 1940 and 20 hours in 1960. By 2019, the figure had dropped to only around 10 hours per week.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified all key features of the charts, including the trends for appliance ownership and the inverse relationship with housework hours. The overview is clear and effectively synthesises the main trends. You have provided specific data points to support your descriptions, such as the 1920 starting figures and the 2019 end points, which demonstrates a strong ability to select and report relevant information. The comparison between the rising ownership of appliances and the declining time spent on housework is well-integrated, fulfilling the requirement to make comparisons where relevant. No parts of the task were omitted, and the information is accurate based on the provided charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, the appliance trends, and the housework trends. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'By 1940', and 'Meanwhile', to guide the reader through the data. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall flow of the response. Referencing is clear throughout, and the transition between the two charts is handled smoothly, ensuring that the relationship between the two datasets is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a wide range of vocabulary with precision and natural control. Phrases like 'eventually became present', 'rose rapidly', and 'decreased dramatically' demonstrate a good command of language suitable for an academic report. The vocabulary is varied and avoids unnecessary repetition. You have used collocations accurately, such as 'ownership of all three appliances' and 'average number of hours'. The language is sophisticated enough to convey the trends clearly without any errors in word choice or spelling that would impede the reader's understanding.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You have successfully used complex sentences, such as 'Washing machines were the most common appliance, being owned by around 40% of households', and maintained consistent control over verb tenses, which is crucial for describing historical data. Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your sentences. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips that might occur are not present here. The control over sentence structure is consistent throughout the entire response.

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