Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The chart illustrates the annual income of households in the US in the recent years.

The given information tells us how much people earns yearly from [redacted phone] according to the chart the most common or average in every year people earns 25-50k$ each.

Firstly the white bar is same from the given years there is a slight change in the other bars only 10% of the people have more than 100,000$ as there annual income.Secondly if we look in the 2011 year there are many people who are earning less than 25k while many incomes are more than 25 and less than 50k

In 2015 the there is a big change in last bar where it has a massive increase in the people annual income many people incomes increases gradually about 30 millon are earning more than 100k $ while other also increase but not so gradually the white bar is same

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to provide a clear overview or accurately report the main features. The description of the trends is vague and contains inaccuracies, such as claiming the 'white bar is same' across years, which is not supported by the data. The report lacks a structured approach to comparing the income brackets, and the information provided is disjointed. Key features, such as the specific income categories and the shifts between 2007, 2011, and 2015, are not clearly identified or analyzed. To improve, you must focus on selecting the most significant data points and presenting them with precision rather than making generalized, inaccurate observations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response lacks a logical structure. While there are some attempts at transition words like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly', they are used incorrectly and do not help organize the information effectively. Paragraphing is absent, and the flow of ideas is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of the income groups. The referencing is unclear, particularly when referring to 'white bar' or 'last bar' without defining what these represent in the context of the chart. To improve, ensure each paragraph has a clear focus and use cohesive devices to link sentences and ideas logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. There is a reliance on basic terms like 'people', 'earning', and 'increase'. The phrasing is often awkward, such as 'the most common or average in every year people earns 25-50k$ each'. There are also issues with currency notation and units, such as '30 millon'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe trends or data points with precision. To improve, you should learn and use specific vocabulary for describing charts, such as 'fluctuate', 'remain stable', 'peak', and 'significant proportion'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'people earns'), incorrect sentence structure, and missing punctuation. The use of complex sentences is largely absent, and the simple sentences used are often poorly constructed. For example, 'In 2015 the there is a big change in last bar where it has a massive increase in the people annual income' is grammatically incoherent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subjects and verbs agree, and using correct punctuation to separate ideas.

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