Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The bar chart gives statistics about the number of families in the United States in terms of their yearly income in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Overall, two main tendencies can be observed. Firstly, low-income and wealthy families were predominant with mixed success during the period, and secondly, middle-income residential units were notably smaller than those above.

In 2007, the wealthy homes were dominant, with around 30 million people. Furthermore, low-income households were slightly above 25 million. Meanwhile, middle-income groups were half the size of the wealthy category, representing a significantly smaller portion of the population. This figure remained practically the same, with only a marginal difference in 2011, suggesting a relatively stable economic distribution during this period.

The most notable change can be seen in 2015, when the total of wealthy dwellings increased to roughly 32 million people, demonstrating a clear upward trend. In contrast, others , like middle-income and economically disadvantaged groups, persisted practically the same, with margins from 200 thousand to 500 thousand in the same year, indicating minimal growth in these categories.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response covers the main features of the chart well. You have successfully identified the key trends, such as the dominance of the wealthy and low-income groups and the relative stability of the middle-income category. However, the analysis could be improved by including more specific data points from the chart to support your observations. For instance, while you mention 'around 30 million', providing more precise figures for the other categories in 2011 and 2015 would strengthen the report. The overview is clear and effectively summarizes the main tendencies, which is a positive aspect of your work.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary of trends. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Meanwhile', and 'In contrast' to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is logical, moving from a general overview to specific details. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods and categories. To reach a higher band, ensure that the transition between sentences is always smooth and that referencing (e.g., 'this figure') is consistently precise to avoid any ambiguity regarding which data point is being discussed.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'predominant', 'marginal difference', and 'economic distribution' are used effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as referring to 'residential units' or 'dwellings' when the chart specifically tracks 'households'. Additionally, the phrase 'persisted practically the same' is slightly awkward; 'remained relatively stable' would be more natural. Overall, your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but incorporating more precise academic collocations would elevate your score further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as the unnecessary space before the comma in 'others , like' and the slightly awkward phrasing in 'with margins from 200 thousand to 500 thousand'. These errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement and refining the use of prepositions when describing statistical changes.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.