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, while the amount of time spent on housework decreased considerably. Refrigerators and vacuum cleaners eventually became almost universal, whereas washing machines remained the least widely owned appliance.

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 prompt well, providing a clear overview and highlighting the main features of both graphs. The trends are accurately reported, such as the rise in appliance ownership and the corresponding drop in housework hours. For example, the student correctly notes that refrigerator and vacuum cleaner ownership reached 100% by 2000, and accurately compares this with washing machines. The data points cited, such as the 1920 starting figures and the 1960 milestones, are well-selected and precise, fulfilling the requirements for an Academic Task 1 response to a high standard.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression from an introductory overview to detailed body paragraphs. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the visual data, such as vacuum cleaners and refrigerators in one paragraph and washing machines in another. Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally, such as 'whereas', 'meanwhile', 'in contrast', and 'although', without being mechanical. Paragraphing is logical and appropriate, contributing to a seamless reading experience.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible range of vocabulary suited to a data summary task. Phrases like 'almost universal', 'increased rapidly', 'fluctuated during the period', and 'fell dramatically' show good control of collocation and style. The vocabulary is precise and allows the student to convey complex trends without repetition. Minor flaws are absent, and the lexical range comfortably meets the criteria for a high band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used accurately and flexibly. Examples include participial phrases ('while the second graph illustrates...') and concessive clauses ('although it fluctuated during the period'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled with precision. Control over tense usage (past simple for historical data) is consistently maintained throughout the response.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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