Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-22
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 4.5)
The charts show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of time spent doing homework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019
Overall, the highest percentage of households with electrical appliances time spending vacuum cleaner and the lowest percentage of households with electrical appliances time spending refrigerator .
To begin with, in 1920 , in households washing machine spending that was 40% and refrigerator spending was about 0% and vacuum cleaner spending was nearby 30%
But in 1940 , in households washing machine spending that was 60% and refrigerator spending was about 55% and vacuum cleaner spending time was nearby 50%
Furthermore, in 1960 in households washing machine spending time that was 70% and refrigerator spending was about 90% and vacuum cleaner was nearby 90% but in 1980 in households washing machine spending time that was 65% and refrigerator spending time 100% and vacuum cleaner spending time was nearby 90%
Moreover, at last in 2019 , in households washing machine that was 75% and refrigerator spending time was nearby 100% and vacuum cleaner spending time was nearby 100%
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response provides a basic overview of the changes in appliance ownership and housework time but lacks clarity and accuracy in describing trends. The statement that the 'highest percentage of households with electrical appliances time spending vacuum cleaner' is confusing and inaccurately represented. Furthermore, the response repetitively uses phrases like 'spending time' which should focus on ownership percentages instead. There is not sufficient comparison of trends, particularly between appliances, which affects the overall analysis of the data. More explicit comparisons and trends across the decades should be included to fully satisfy the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The coherence of the response is hindered by unclear sentence structure and lack of effective linking words. Phrases such as 'in households washing machine spending time that was 70%' are awkwardly phrased, leading to confusion regarding their meaning. Cohesion is also problematic due to the repetition of phrases. For instance, linking ideas like "But in 1940..." could be improved by using transitional phrases such as "In contrast," or "Following this trend," which would enhance the flow of information. Additionally, paragraphing could help improve the organization of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical resource is somewhat limited, and there are instances of incorrect word choice, affecting clarity. For example, the use of 'time spending' is confusing and does not accurately convey the intended meaning of 'percentage of ownership.' There are a few correct uses of vocabulary like 'households' and 'percentage,' but overall vocabulary lacks variety and precision. Improvements could include more varied language and synonyms to enhance the clarity of the report, such as using terms like 'proportion' or 'increase' instead of repetitive phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical range and accuracy demonstrate basic sentence construction, but there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings. Phrases like ‘in households washing machine spending time that was 70%’ show a misunderstanding of syntax. Moreover, the lack of consistent verb forms and plurality leads to confusion. Simple sentence structures are overused, while complex structures are absent. Increasing the variety of sentence structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help raise the overall grammatical quality of the writing.
Overall feedback
The response demonstrates an understanding of the task but struggles with clarity and coherence. To improve, focus on accurately reporting and analyzing the data present in the charts, ensuring that you are emphasizing the ownership percentages rather than phrasing it in terms of 'time spent.' Enhancing your use of linking words will also help improve the flow of ideas, making it easier for readers to follow your descriptions. Work on building a varied vocabulary to articulate comparisons and trends more effectively. Practicing complex sentence structures will also benefit your grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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