Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-22

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 6.0)

The charts show how the ownership of electrical appliances and the time spent on housework changed between 1920 and 2019.

Overall, the number of households owning electrical appliances increased significantly during this period. At the same time people spent less time doing housework. In 1920, washing machines were the most common appliance, with around 40% of households owning one. Vacuum cleaners were found in 30% of homes, while refrigerators were found in almost zero households.

Over the following years [redacted phone] the number of electrical appliances increased the most. At the same time, the chart showing us the number of hours doing housework decreased significantly. From 1960 to 1980 the percentage of households owning a washing machine dropped slightly, which gives us just a small decrease in the hours spent on housework.

From [redacted phone] the percentage of households owning electrical appliances increases slightly, meanwhilde the hours spent on doing housework decreases slightly. From spending 15 hours a week doing housework, to only using 10 hours doing housework.

The two charts shows us how the decrease in hours spent on housework is related to owning electrical appliances.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover both charts and give a clear overall picture: appliance ownership generally rose while housework time fell. The opening figures for 1920 are accurate, and you identify the refrigerator’s near-zero starting point. However, some key trends are only broadly described or are slightly misleading. For example, the largest rise in appliance ownership is not simply confined to 1920–1960: refrigerators continued to reach 100% by 1980, and vacuum cleaners reached 100% by 2000. The washing-machine decline from 70% to 65% between 1960 and 1980 is correctly noted, but the claim that this “gives us” a small decrease in housework time suggests a direct relationship not demonstrated by the charts. Include clearer comparisons and more precise figures, especially for the final period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to chronological details, with separate paragraphs for the main periods. This makes the information generally easy to follow. Linking phrases such as “At the same time” and “From 1980-2019” help signal relationships and time changes. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical, and the final paragraph repeats the overview rather than adding a distinct comparison. References such as “the chart showing us” are awkward, while the connection implied between appliance ownership and reduced housework is not clearly supported. To improve, organise the body around the most important trends—such as the rapid rise of refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, versus the more modest washing-machine changes—and use linking language to clarify comparisons rather than repeat points.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “ownership,” “percentage,” “decreased,” “increased significantly,” and “most common.” These choices communicate the main trends, and the meaning is generally clear. Some wording is repetitive or imprecise, however: “the number of electrical appliances” could mean the number of devices rather than the proportion of households owning them, and “hours doing housework” is less natural than “hours spent on housework.” The phrase “which gives us” is also informal and vague for an academic report. There is a spelling error in “meanwhilde,” and repeated use of “slightly” does not always capture the scale of the changes. Use more precise trend vocabulary and vary expressions for proportions and time spent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and most sentences communicate their intended meaning. The opening sentence and the overview are grammatically clear, while clauses such as “while refrigerators were found in almost zero households” show some ability to combine information. Some errors remain in agreement and sentence construction. For example, “The two charts shows us” should use a plural verb, and “From spending 15 hours a week doing housework, to only using 10 hours” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. Tense is also inconsistent in “the percentage … increases slightly” after describing a period that ended in 2019. Aim to keep past-tense reporting consistent and turn sentence fragments into complete clauses; these changes would improve accuracy while preserving your range.

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