Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-29

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 7.5)

The first line graph shows the percentage of households that owned three electrical appliances — a washing machine, a refrigerator and a vacuum cleaner — while the second graph illustrates the number of hours per week spent on housework from 1920 to 2019.

Overall, the ownership of all three appliances increased over the given period, with refrigerators and vacuum cleaners eventually becoming almost universal. In contrast, the amount of time spent on housework decreased considerably throughout the period.

In 1920, around 30% of households owned a vacuum cleaner, compared with approximately 40% that had a washing machine. The proportion of households with vacuum cleaners increased steadily, reaching about 70% in 1940 and 90% in 1960. It eventually reached 100% in 2000 and remained at this level until 2019. Refrigerator ownership, meanwhile, started at 0% in 1920 and increased rapidly, reaching around 90% by 1960. It then reached 100% in 1980 and remained unchanged thereafter.

The percentage of households owning washing machines also increased overall, although it fluctuated during the period. Starting at about 40% in 1920, ownership rose to around 70% in 1960. It then declined slightly before increasing again, reaching approximately 75% by 2019.

In contrast, the number of hours spent on housework fell dramatically. In 1920, households spent about 50 hours per week on housework. This figure declined steadily to approximately 35 hours in 1940 and 20 hours in 1960. It then fell to around 15 hours in 1980 and approximately 10 hours in 2000, before reaching its lowest level of about 10 hours per week in 2019.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an accurate and detailed description of both charts. The response effectively highlights the key features, such as the dramatic rise in electrical appliance ownership and the corresponding significant drop in hours spent on housework. Appropriate comparisons are made between the appliances, noting how refrigerators and vacuum cleaners eventually reached 100% ownership by the end of the period, while washing machines plateaued around 75%. The data is reported accurately, and the overview captures the main global trends precisely. Minor inaccuracies, such as stating refrigerator ownership started at 0% when the gridline shows 2%, do not detract from the overall high quality of task completion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with a well-formulated introduction, followed by a concise overview paragraph that highlights the main trends. Body paragraphs are logically structured, dividing the appliance ownership data from the housework hours data. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'It then'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different features and charts. The progression of ideas throughout the text is smooth and guides the reader effortlessly from one point to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary is used with precision and includes a variety of useful terms for describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'declined slightly', 'increased rapidly', and 'almost universal'. Word choice and collocations are generally accurate and natural, with only minor lapses, such as the slight inaccuracy regarding the starting point of refrigerators. Overall, the vocabulary employed allows the student to convey precise measurements and trends clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses (e.g., 'while the second graph illustrates...', 'compared with approximately 40% that had...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and the student maintains good control over tense usage and punctuation. Minor slips do occur, but they are infrequent and do not impede communication at all. The control over complex structures combined with high overall accuracy places this response firmly in the Band 8 category for grammar.

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