Writing Task 1: band 7, 8 & 9 sample answers
The question
The line graph below shows the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Households in owned and rented accommodation, England & Wales
Percentage of all households, 1918–2011
The line graph shows the percentage of households that owned or rented their homes in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.
Overall, home ownership increased a lot during this period, while renting decreased. The two lines crossed at around 1971, when both were about 50%.
In 1918, only 23% of households owned their home, but most people rented, at 77%. After this, ownership went up steadily. By 1953 it had reached 32%, and it continued to rise to 50% in 1971.
After 1971, owning became more popular than renting. Ownership kept growing and reached a peak of about 69% in 2001. Renting fell to 31% in the same year.
In the last period, there was a small change. Ownership decreased slightly to 64% in 2011, and renting rose to 36%.
In conclusion, home ownership grew strongly over the whole period and overtook renting, although it dropped a little at the end.
Why it scores band 7
- Task Achievement: includes a clear overview of the main trend (ownership rises, renting falls, crossover ~1971).
- Detail: key figures are selected and reported accurately, with some comparison.
- Language: some good trend language, but phrasing repeats ('went up', 'rose', 'a lot') and stays fairly simple.
Model answers written to illustrate each band, aligned with the official IELTS band descriptors. Sharply is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by IELTS, the British Council, IDP, or Cambridge Assessment English.