Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24
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)
in 1920 the numbers of hours that people spent doing chores was at its peak since household appliances were not that popular, however in 1940 some households starting purchasing items such as refrigerators in households in 1940 starting rising as well as the washing machine and vacuum and hours of housework per week started to rise. In1960 all of the appliances were still rising until in 1980, washing machine plummeted.
It finally rose back up but at a lower range from [redacted phone]. Compared to the washing machine the refrigerator and vacuum cleaner accelerated from [redacted phone] and number of hours of housework declined at a fast pace from [redacted phone]. This helps in analyzing the difference in when electrical appliances takeover a daily part of peoples lives by making it easier for them so they have more quality time to do other important chores and saves up a lot of their time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main trends, but the analysis is somewhat superficial and contains factual inaccuracies regarding the data (e.g., stating housework hours rose in 1940, when the chart shows a decline). While the prompt asks for a summary, the response lacks a clear overview or a distinct introduction. The connection between appliance ownership and housework time is mentioned, but the data points are not consistently accurate, which limits the effectiveness of the report. To improve, ensure you carefully interpret the trends shown in the graph and provide a clear, separate overview paragraph that highlights the most significant changes over the century.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into only two paragraphs, and the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices like 'however' and 'compared to', the flow is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and run-on sentences. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the timeline of events. To improve, use more varied linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus—for example, one for the overview and one for the detailed comparison of data points. Better paragraphing would significantly improve the logical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'rising' and 'appliances'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'takeover a daily part of peoples lives'. The range is adequate to convey the basic meaning, but it does not demonstrate the ability to use less common lexical items or precise collocations effectively. To improve, incorporate more academic vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', or 'a significant downward trend', and ensure correct spelling of terms like 'people's'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and sentence structure. For example, 'in 1940 some households starting purchasing' should be 'started purchasing', and there are several run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. The range of structures is limited, relying mostly on simple or poorly constructed complex sentences. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors impacts the overall readability. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and proofreading for common errors like missing apostrophes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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