Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-30

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 6.5)

The line chart depicts the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and the amount of time spent doing housework in one country from 1920 to 2019.

Overall, it is clear that the usage of electrical appliances increased dramatically over time; in contrast, the number of hours per week spent on housework declined significantly.

In 1920, the sharpest rise was recorded in refrigerators, which grew from 0% to 100% over the period. However, the usage of washing machines was 40% initially, as compared to vacuum cleaners which were 30%. Additionally, the usage of vacuum cleaners soared to 100% in 2019. In contrast, the utilization of washing machines stood at just over 70% from 1920 to 2019.

The significant decline was recorded in the number of hours per week. Initially, the 50 hours per week in housework were documented in 1920, which plummeted to 20 hours per week in 1960. Meanwhile, the graph fluctuated slightly and it came to end in 2019 with almost 10 hours per week due to increased electrical appliances usage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by selecting and reporting the main features of both charts. An overview is clearly presented in the second paragraph, highlighting the inverse relationship between appliance ownership and housework hours. Key data points are accurately cited, such as refrigerator ownership starting low in 1920 at 2% and reaching 100% by 1980, and housework hours declining from 50 to around 11 hours per week. However, there are minor inaccuracies in the detailed data reporting, such as claiming refrigerator ownership grew from 0% instead of 2%, and stating that washing machine utilization stood at just over 70% from 1920 to 2019 (when it actually fluctuated and ended at 75%). Despite these minor data misinterpretations, the core trends and comparisons are effectively communicated, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or solid Band 7 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is arranged logically with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs dedicated to appliances and housework time respectively. Information and ideas progress logically throughout the text. Cohesive devices such as 'in contrast,' 'however,' and 'additionally' are used to connect ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical, such as 'the significant decline was recorded in the number of hours per week.' Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct themes. Referencing is generally clear, though minor phrasing issues slightly disrupt the natural flow in the final paragraph. Overall, the organization meets the criteria for Band 7, demonstrating clear logical progression throughout.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, including terms like 'ownership,' 'utilization,' 'plummeted,' and 'fluctuated slightly.' There are some awkward collocations and imprecise phrasings, such as 'usage of refrigerators was 0% to 100% over the period' and 'it came to end in 2019 with almost 10 hours.' Spelling is accurate throughout the text. While less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style, inaccuracies in word choice prevent the score from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows the message to be communicated clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory dependent clauses effectively, as seen in 'As compared to vacuum cleaners which were 30%.' There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as 'the 50 hours per week in housework were documented' and 'increased electrical appliances usage' (which should be 'increased usage of electrical appliances'). Punctuation is generally correct, and errors do not impede communication, but they occur with enough frequency to prevent the assignment of a Band 7. The control of grammar aligns well with Band 6 descriptors.

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

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