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 line charts demonstrates the changes in ownership of three different electrical appliances and amount of time spent doing housework in households in one county from 1920 to 2019.
Overall, it is evident that the ownership of electrical appliances has significant fluctuations throughout the period where lowest was refrigerator at begining of the period.
To commence with, the ownership of Refrigerator was lowest in the year 1920 at aorund 1%. In 1980, before it reached its peak at around 100% it steadily increased to 90% in the year 1960. From 2000 to 2019 the ownership of refrigerator remained constant. This was followed by Vacuum cleaner that recorded 30% of households in 1920 which later increased constantly by 20% until it accounted 100% in 2000 and stood at 100% till 2019. In 1920, 40% of households was of washing machine later it increased by 20% in 1960. It decreased nearly to 62% in 1980 before it accounted a figure at aroung 72% in 2019.
Furthermore, in 1920, 50 hours of housework per week was highest. House work per week decreased dramatically 1940,1960, 1980 and 2000 to record a figure of 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 for both appliances and housework time. You successfully highlighted the key features, such as the rise in appliance ownership and the inverse decline in housework hours. However, some data reporting is slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the description of the washing machine trend, which is difficult to follow. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with greater precision and that the relationship between the two charts is more explicitly linked, as the prompt asks for comparisons where relevant.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the appliances and housework, and a clear overview. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition 'To commence with' is a bit formal and clunky in this context. Additionally, the referencing within sentences is sometimes unclear, making the flow between data points feel disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey the main trends, using terms like 'fluctuations', 'steadily increased', and 'decreased dramatically'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'at aorund 1%' (typo) and 'accounted a figure at aroung 72%'. The phrasing 'accounted a figure' is not natural English collocation. To improve, focus on using more precise reporting verbs and nouns, and ensure that your spelling is accurate. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' will also help you avoid repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The line charts demonstrates', '40% of households was'), missing articles ('at begining of the period'), and awkward preposition usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and ensure that your sentence structures are grammatically sound. Practising the use of articles and prepositions in data-driven contexts will also be beneficial.
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.