Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-08

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 8.5)

The charts illustrate changes in the percentage of households that owned three types of electrical appliances, namely washing machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, as well as the average number of hours spent on housework per week between 1920 and 2019.

Overall, ownership of all three appliances increased considerably over the period. Refrigerators and vacuum cleaners became almost universally owned, while washing machines showed a smaller increase. At the same time, the amount of time spent on housework decreased significantly.

In 1920, washing machines were the most common appliance, with around 40% of households owning one. Vacuum cleaners were owned by approximately 30%, whereas refrigerators were hardly used, at only about 5%. By 1940, ownership of washing machines had risen to 60%, while refrigerators and vacuum cleaners stood at roughly 55% and 50%, respectively.

Between 1940 and 1980, refrigerator ownership increased dramatically, reaching about 90% in 1960 and 100% in 1980. Vacuum cleaner ownership also rose steadily, from around 50% in 1940 to 90% in 1980, before reaching 100% in 2000. Washing machine ownership, however, increased more slowly. It reached approximately 70% in 1960, fell slightly to around 65% in 1980, and then gradually increased to about 75% by 2019.

Regarding housework, households spent around 50 hours per week on this activity in 1920. This figure fell to approximately 35 hours in 1940 and 20 hours in 1960. It then declined more gradually, reaching about 15 hours in 1980 and 2000, before falling to only 10 hours per week in 2019.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified all key trends and provided a clear overview that contrasts the rise in appliance ownership with the decline in housework time. You have selected relevant data points to support your descriptions, such as the specific percentages for 1920 and 1980. The comparison between the three appliances and the housework hours is well-integrated. All parts of the prompt are addressed, and the information is accurately reported, making this a very strong performance that fully meets the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, the appliance trends, and the housework trends. You use cohesive devices such as 'At the same time', 'Regarding', and 'whereas' effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is skillful, and the information flows naturally from one point to the next. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the structure supports the reader's understanding throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and precise range of vocabulary. Phrases such as 'almost universally owned', 'increased dramatically', and 'declined more gradually' show a sophisticated control of language. You use topic-specific vocabulary accurately, and there are no errors in word choice or collocation. The language is natural and appropriate for an academic report. The variety of verbs and adverbs used to describe trends is particularly impressive and contributes to the clarity and professionalism of the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You successfully use complex sentences, such as 'By 1940, ownership of washing machines had risen to 60%, while refrigerators and vacuum cleaners stood at roughly 55% and 50%, respectively.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and aspect is consistent with the requirements of describing historical data. This is a very high level of grammatical competence.

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