Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-28

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below shows the number of households in the US by their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 7.0)

The bar graph illustrates the number of households by their yearly income in the US in 2007, 2011, 2015.

Overall, it is evident that the number of households earning between $99,999 and $75,000 were lowest among all categories in all three years.

Meanwhile, the figures for the households ranging between $100,000 and above increased swiftly. By contrast, the trend for the number of households earning between $74,999 and $50,000 remained relatively constant.

The proportion of households earning within the range of $100,000 and above, commenced with 29 million households in 2007, dropped to 27 million households and finally peaked at 33 million households in 2015.

However, the figures for the households earning in the range of $74,999 and $50,000 and also between $99,999 and $75,000 remained unchanged representing approximately 21 million households and 14 million households, respectively.

Turning to the remaining categories, the figures for the households that ranged between $49,999 and $25,000 fluctuated from nearly 27 million households to 30 million households among all three years. Additionally, the number households earning less than $25,000 in 2007 accounted for 25 millions in the year 2007, 29 millions in 2011 and dropped to 27 millions in 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response provides a clear overview and identifies key trends. You have successfully selected and reported the main features, such as the growth in the highest income bracket and the relative stability of others. However, there are some inaccuracies in data interpretation; for instance, you state the $100,000+ category 'dropped' from 29 to 27 million, but the chart shows a steady increase or fluctuation that does not align perfectly with your description. Additionally, ensure you cover all categories consistently. While you addressed the main trends, a more precise comparison of the specific figures would improve the clarity of your report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'By contrast', and 'Turning to' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. However, the flow between sentences could be smoother; some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To reach a higher band, focus on varying your cohesive devices and ensuring that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is more tightly linked to the data points provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'remained relatively constant', 'fluctuated', and 'accounted for' are used effectively. There are some minor errors, such as '25 millions' (should be '25 million') and 'number households' (missing 'of'). While you use some less common vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' or 'decrease' and ensure accurate pluralization when discussing numerical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow. There are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'number of households... were lowest' (should be 'was lowest' to agree with 'number') and the aforementioned pluralization errors. Punctuation is generally accurate, though some phrasing could be tightened for better precision. The errors present do not impede communication, but more consistent control over subject-verb agreement would elevate your score.

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