Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-03
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 graph illustrates the change in the ownership of electric appliances and the time spent on housework in households in a country between 1920 and 2019. Overall, the percentage of households with electric appliances rose significantly, while washing machine fluctuated over years. meanwhile, the hours spent on housework declined.
In 1920, washing machine were the common with 40% of households, followed by vacuum cleaner with 30% and washing machine with lowest of 2%. By 1940, all the three households increased between 50-60%. In additon refrigerator experienced a significant growth to 90% in 1960 and reached at 100% in 1980, stayed stable for next 2 years. Vacuum cleaner also followed a same trend with a dramatic increase from 30% to 100% in 2000 to 2019.
Washing machine grow to 60% in 1960 and a modest decline to approximately 65% in 1980 before climbing to about 75% in 2019. In terms of household works it decreased from 50% to 20% in 1960 and stayed between
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 identifies the main trends, such as the increase in appliance ownership and the decrease in housework time. However, the report is incomplete as it ends abruptly mid-sentence, failing to provide a full summary of the data. There are also inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, the text claims washing machine ownership was 40% in 1920, whereas the graph shows a much lower figure. The overview is present but lacks sufficient detail to fully satisfy the requirements of the task. To improve, ensure all data points are accurately transcribed and the response is fully concluded.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is disrupted by the incomplete ending. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In 1920', 'By 1940', and 'In terms of', but they are sometimes used mechanically. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the appliances, as the distinction between the three items is not always maintained effectively. The abrupt termination of the final paragraph significantly impacts the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'fluctuated', 'modest decline', and 'dramatic increase'. However, there is some repetition and limited range. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'all the three households increased' (referring to appliances, not households) and 'followed a same trend'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('washing machine were', 'washing machine grow') and incorrect preposition usage ('reached at 100%'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and an incomplete final sentence. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to demonstrate a limited control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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