Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-19

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 8.0)

The given line graphs illustrate the changes in ownership of washing machines, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners and the amount of time spent completing housework in a particular country from 1920 to 2019.

Overall, upon analyzing the data, it is clear that all categories experienced an increase in ownership. Meanwhile, the number of hours of housework witnessed a significant decrease throughout the period.

In 1920, washing machine ownership dominated at 40%, vacuum cleaner ownership ranked second at 30%, and almost no home owned a refrigerator. By 1960, refrigerator ownership rose sharply, reaching 90%. Vacuum cleaner and washing machine ownership increased gradually, reaching 70% and 60%, respectively. By 2019, both refrigerators and vacuum cleaners were in 100% of households. In contrast, washing machine ownership saw some fluctuations, dropping slightly by 1980, before rising to about 75% by 2019.

Meanwhile, in 1920, a typical household spent 50 hours per week doing housework, which decreased consistently and reached 20 hours per week by 1960. The number declined further and reached 10 hours per week by 2019.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends for both the appliance ownership and the time spent on housework. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the overall patterns. You have made relevant comparisons, such as contrasting the rise in appliance ownership with the decline in housework hours. The data is accurately reported, and the selection of key features is appropriate for a Task 1 response. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently highlight the most significant relationships between the two datasets throughout the body paragraphs rather than just describing them separately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from the introduction to the overview, and then into the specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'In contrast', and 'By 1960' are used effectively to guide the reader through the information. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly. The use of referencing is clear, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive linking. The structure is well-managed, contributing to a coherent and easy-to-follow report.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'witnessed a significant decrease', 'rose sharply', and 'saw some fluctuations' are well-chosen and appropriate for an academic report. The vocabulary is varied and used accurately throughout the text. While the range is good, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific synonyms could elevate the response further. There are no spelling errors, and the word choice is consistently natural and precise, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of participial phrases ('upon analyzing the data') and subordinate clauses ('before rising to about 75%'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and your control over tense and punctuation is strong. The grammar is accurate, and there are no instances where errors impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using more passive voice constructions or varied introductory clauses to enhance the sophistication of your writing.

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