Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-16

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 two line-graphs show variations in ownership of electrical three gadgets (washing machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners) and the amount of time spent doing chores in homes in one country, in a century starting from 1920 to 2019. The first chart shows the percentage of households with each of these appliances, while the second chart shows the number of hours spent doing housework per week in the corresponding time intervals.

In general, as the proportion of homes with the 3 appliances rose, while the time spent on housework reduced. Initially in 1920, 40% of homes had washing machines, 30% had vacuum cleaners, and only about 1% had washing machines. Proportionately, households spent 50 hours on housework in that year. In the final year (2019), all homes had fridges and vacuum cleaners and 65% had washing machines. The number of hours spent on chores per week had fallen from 50 to 10.

One dramatic twist is noted between 1960 and 1980 when the proportion of household with washing machines decreased from 70% to 65% but the number of hours spent on housework still dropped rather steadily 20 to 15 in the same period. Additionally, the steepest rise in gadgets was seen in fridges, with the proportion of households with this gadget increasing sharply from 1% in 1920 and finishing at 100%, the joint highest, in the final year (2019).

As for the hours spent on housework, the decline was rapid in the first 4 decades between 1920 and 1960, dropping sharply from 50 to 20 hours, and then steadily decreasing to 11 hours at the end of the period of study (2019).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall contrast: appliance ownership generally increased while weekly housework declined, and you support this with figures for the beginning and end of the period. You also select useful details, including the washing-machine dip from 70% to 65% and the sharp rise in refrigerator ownership. However, some figures are inaccurate: in 1920, the 1% figure refers to refrigerators, not washing machines, and washing-machine ownership in 2019 was 75%, not 65%. The overview also says all three appliances rose, although washing-machine ownership fluctuated. The account of the hours trend is relevant, but the appliance comparisons are not equally complete. More precise reporting and a clearer overview of the differing appliance patterns would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a general overview, and paragraphs describing appliance ownership and housework trends. The sequence from 1920 to 2019 is easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “Additionally” and “As for” help signal shifts in focus. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some flexibility in connecting information. However, the overview and later paragraphs repeat the decline in housework, while the appliance details are split across paragraphs in a way that makes comparisons less systematic. “One dramatic twist” also gives a slightly informal, abrupt transition. Grouping the appliance trends together and avoiding repeated summaries would create smoother progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “steepest rise,” “decline,” and “dropped sharply,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more varied phrasing, such as “the joint highest.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “electrical three gadgets” is awkward, “variations in ownership” is less precise than describing changes, and “a dramatic twist” is too informal for an academic report. “Proportionately” is also not the right adverb in the sentence about hours spent on housework. These issues do not prevent understanding, but more consistent collocation and a neutral academic register would make the vocabulary more precise and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including time clauses and comparisons, and most sentences communicate the intended trend. For example, the sentence beginning “One dramatic twist is noted between 1960 and 1980” combines two related changes effectively. Some grammatical errors remain. The opening phrase “electrical three gadgets” has an incorrect word order, and “the proportion of household” needs a plural noun. In “as the proportion … rose, while the time … reduced,” the clause structure is not well formed; use a parallel construction without the extra “while.” The sentence “dropping sharply from 50 to 20 hours, and then steadily decreasing” also has an unclear attachment. Greater control of clause structure, articles and plurals would improve accuracy.

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