Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-29
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)
The charts provide information about the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and number of hours of housework in one country from 1920 to 2019.
Overall, there are significant changes in both house works and electrical appliances over the years. Washing machine and vacuum cleaner were available every where, while refrigerator was very rare at the starting of 1920. In addition, the time of housework fell dramatically.
In 1920, washing machine and vacuum cleaner were very very common, around 40% peoples used washing machine and almost 30% people used vacuum cleaner. Whereas, no one used refrigerator in 1920. But in 1940 refrigerator raised dramatically, almost 52% used refrigerator. while only 50% used vacuum cleaner. The percentage of washing machine suddenly declined but it started growing after 1980. At the end of 2019 the proportion of using refrigerator and vacuum cleaner were same around 100% while the percentage of washing machine was less around 75%.
On the other hand, there is a significant change in housework hours. In 1920 everyone spent almost 50 hours in housework but when digital machines arrived the number started decline. In 1980 it reached to 15 hours only. At the end of 2019 it reached to 10 hours.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the trends. You successfully identified the main features, such as the rise in appliance ownership and the inverse decline in housework hours. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, stating that washing machines were 'everywhere' in 1920 contradicts the data, which shows them at approximately 40%. Additionally, the claim that refrigerator ownership was 'no one' in 1920 is slightly imprecise as the chart shows a small percentage. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with greater precision and avoid over-generalising trends that are not fully supported by the provided visual information.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on appliances and housework respectively. The progression of ideas is generally clear. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'in 1920' or 'at the end of 2019'. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the referencing could be smoother. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the trends and changes effectively. You use some relevant terms like 'dramatically', 'proportion', and 'declined'. However, there are some word choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'house works' (should be 'housework') and 'peoples' (should be 'people'). The repetition of 'used' and 'percentage' limits the range of your vocabulary. To achieve a higher score, incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations related to data description, such as 'the figure for', 'a significant proportion', or 'witnessed a steady increase'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is sufficient for the task. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with articles ('the washing machine'), subject-verb agreement ('refrigerator raised' instead of 'refrigerator ownership rose'), and tense consistency. Some sentences are also slightly fragmented or lack necessary prepositions. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic errors like pluralisation and article usage, and try to vary your sentence structures by using more complex clauses to describe the relationships between the data points.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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