Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-05

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 5.0)

The bar chart compares the number of United State household across five distinct annual income brackets in three specific years ; 2007 , 2011, and 2015.

Overall the highest incomes brackets , across $10000 and the lowest is nearly $25000 consistently represented the largest segments of US household earning between mid high income household earning between $ 75000 and $ 99999 remained the smallest group t6hrough the entire period.

in 2007 approximately 30 million household earned $[redacted phone] , making it the most populous category .However in 2011 declined slightly to about 27 million household .In 2011 increased to nearly 29 million household , briefly the largest group .

The data show 2007 to 2015 the highest number of household is 33 million $ [redacted phone].

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the response. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is incomplete and lacks a clear, accurate summary of the data. Several figures are mentioned, but the interpretation is confusing and contains factual inaccuracies regarding the trends shown in the chart. To improve, ensure you cover all categories provided in the graph and provide a more thorough comparison of the data points across the three years. The overview is also underdeveloped and does not clearly highlight the most significant trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a logical structure. The paragraphs are poorly defined, and the transition between the introduction and the body is abrupt. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas, making the text feel like a collection of disjointed sentences rather than a cohesive report. Referencing is often unclear, particularly when discussing the income brackets, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of the data. To improve, use linking words such as 'furthermore', 'in contrast', or 'consequently' to connect your sentences and ensure each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'highest', 'lowest', and 'number of household'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'most populous category' when referring to income brackets, which is imprecise. The spelling of 't6hrough' is a distracting error. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'peaked', or 'a significant proportion'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and adverbs will also help you convey the trends more accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede meaning. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the highest number of household is'), missing articles, and incorrect punctuation, such as the inconsistent use of spaces before commas and semicolons. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with very few attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that articles are used correctly. Proofreading for punctuation and basic syntax errors is essential to ensure your writing is clear and professional.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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