Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-31
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 given chart illustrates the information about change in the ownership of electrical appliances and also tells the time spent doing housework in households in a country from 1920 to 2019.
Overall, waching machine was at top in 1920 and refrigerator was at lowest point. Vcuum cleaner was close to washing machine by remaning lower in 1920. Similarly their working hours per week are also at peak in 1920 but decreases with time.
First of all, the washing machine was at top with the percentage of 40% in 1920 which shows ups and downs till 1980 and then after that it slightly increases and stops at number close to 80% in 2019. The other thing refrigerator which starts from the lowest percentage of 0% in 1920 and saw a huge jump and reaches the highest value of 90% in 1960 then it goes up and stuck at 100% from 1980 to 2019.
On the other hand, vacuum cleaner begins from 30% and continously climbed then stop at 100% in 2000 equal to the percentage of refrigerator and remain at that position till 2019. Moreover, their working hours also decreases along that time. As in 1920 it was at its peak 50 hours per week but afterwards it go downs and stop at 10 hours per week in 2019.
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 by identifying the main trends in appliance ownership and housework hours. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention the trends, the comparison between the decline in housework hours and the rise in appliance ownership is under-developed. The description of the data is generally accurate, but the phrasing 'ups and downs' is too informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, focus on grouping data more effectively and providing a more sophisticated synthesis of the relationship between the two charts rather than just listing the figures chronologically.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'First of all', and 'On the other hand', but these are somewhat basic and repetitive. The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the transition between appliance trends and housework hours is abrupt. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus. Referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the two charts could be more fluidly integrated.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on simple descriptors such as 'top', 'lowest point', and 'huge jump'. There are also some spelling errors ('waching', 'Vcuum') and awkward phrasing like 'stuck at 100%'. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', or 'significant increase'. Avoid informal language and ensure that you use collocations correctly to convey the data more professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('refrigerator... saw a huge jump', 'working hours... decreases') and tense inconsistencies ('it go downs'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are missing articles and awkward phrasing that occasionally impede the flow of reading. To improve, focus on consistent verb tense usage when describing historical data and proofread for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.