The graph shows changes in the number of cars per household in Great Britain over a
period of 36 years.
Overall, car ownership in Britain increased between 1971 and 2007. In particular,
the number of households with two cars rose, while the number of households
without a car fell.
In 1971, almost half of all British households did not have regular use of a car.
Around 44% of households had one car, but only about 7% had two cars. It was
uncommon for families to own three or more cars, with around 2% of households
falling into this category.
The one-car household was the most common type from the late 1970’s onwards,
although there was little change in the figures for this category. The biggest change
was seen in the proportion of households without a car, which fell steadily over the
36-year period to around 25% in 2007. In contrast, the proportion of two-car
families rose steadily, reaching about 26% in 2007, and the proportion of
households with more than two cars rose by around 5%.
(176 Words)
Band Score Analysis
Estimated Band Score: 6.5 – 7.0
- Task Achievement: 7.0 – Covers key trends but lacks some depth in comparisons.
- Coherence & Cohesion: 6.5 – Some ideas could be linked more smoothly.
- Lexical Resource: 6.5 – Vocabulary is appropriate but not highly varied.
- Grammar & Accuracy: 6.5 – Some sentence structures need refinement.
Band 7-8
The graph illustrates changes in car ownership per household in Great Britain from 1971 to 2007.
Overall, car ownership increased over the period, with a rise in two-car households and a decline in those without a car.
In 1971, nearly half of British households did not own a car. Around 44% had one car, and only 7% owned two. Households with three or more cars accounted for just 2%.
From the late 1970s, one-car households remained the most common. However, the proportion of households without a car steadily declined to about 25% in 2007, while two-car ownership increased to 26%. Families with more than two cars also saw a slight rise to around 5%.
Band 9
The graph details the proportion of British households with different levels of car ownership between 1971 and 2007.
Overall, car ownership increased significantly, with two-car households becoming more common and the proportion of car-free homes declining.
In 1971, nearly 50% of British households were without a car, while 44% owned one. Only 7% had two cars, and fewer than 2% possessed three or more vehicles.
By 2007, the number of car-free households had halved to around 25%. Meanwhile, two-car ownership rose steadily, reaching approximately 26%, and households with more than two cars increased slightly to about 5%. One-car households remained the largest group throughout the period.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Band 7-8 Essay | Band 9 Essay |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Uses basic terms like “increase” and “decline” | More varied, e.g., “significantly,” “steadily,” “approximately” |
| Sentence Structure | Mostly simple and compound sentences | More complex and varied sentence structures |
| Data Presentation | Focuses on key figures but lacks precision | Provides exact percentages and a clear trend overview |
| Clarity & Cohesion | Ideas connect well but transitions could be smoother | Strong use of linking phrases for seamless flow |
Examples from Essays
| Band 7-8 Version | Band 9 Version |
|---|---|
| “The number of households without a car steadily declined to about 25% in 2007.” | “By 2007, the number of car-free households had halved to around 25%.” |
| “One-car ownership remained the most common.” | “One-car households remained the largest group throughout the period.” |
| “Households with three or more cars accounted for just 2%.” | “Fewer than 2% of households possessed three or more vehicles.” |
Grammar Mistakes & Corrections
| Mistake | Correction | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| “The proportion of households without a car fall.” | “The proportion of households without a car fell.” | Incorrect verb tense |
| “It was rare for families own three or more cars.” | “It was rare for families to own three or more cars.” | Missing “to” before the verb |
| “The number of two-car families rise steadily.” | “The number of two-car families rose steadily.” | Subject-verb agreement error |
Vocabulary Repetition & Suggestions
| Repeated Word | Alternative Suggestions |
|---|---|
| Increase | Rise, growth, surge, expand |
| Decline | Decrease, drop, fall, reduction |
| Households | Families, homes, residences |
IELTS Writing Task 1 Exercise
Fill in the blanks using the words below:
(almost, to, figures, per, between, by, over, with, without, onwards)
- The graph shows changes in the number of cars ______ household in Great Britain ______ a period of 36 years.
- Overall, car ownership in Britain increased ______ 1971 and 2007.
- In particular, the percentage of households with two cars rose, while the figure for households ______ a car fell.
- In 1971, ______ half of all British households did not have regular use of a car.
- The one-car household was the most common type from the late 1970s ______.
- The biggest change was seen in the proportion of households ______ a car, which fell steadily ______ the 36-year period.
- In contrast, the proportion of two-car families rose steadily, reaching about 26% in 2007, and the proportion of households with more than two cars ______ around 5%.
Answers
- per, over
- between
- without
- almost
- onwards
- without, over
- to
