Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-07
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 5.5)
The given graph depicts the number of households per annum in the United States in three years, 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, the bar of households greater than 100,000 or more has significantly increased, while the share for fifty thousand quielty remained unchanged. However, remaining number of household varied with the passage of time.
The very first sight of graph illustates that the number of household has surged steadily for all. In 2007, the household for one hundred thousand was below the 30 million, but in 2007 it surged to 33 million approximately. However, the share for household less than twenty five thousand was at 25 million, it surged in 2011, but roughly declined to 27 million.
Additionally, the share for fifty thousand or above remained similar over the period, in 2007 it stoods at 21 million and in 2015 it also stands at 21 million. Consequently, over the period the household for seventy five thousand showed minor positive trend, and in 2015 it falls at 15 million
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a general overview and selects some key features, but the reporting is inconsistent and lacks precision. While you identify the growth in the highest income bracket, the data points provided are often confusing or inaccurate. For example, you state that the household count for one hundred thousand was below 30 million in 2007, but the chart shows it was approximately 28 million; your subsequent claim that it surged to 33 million in 2007 is contradictory. Furthermore, the analysis of the other categories is vague and fails to clearly compare the three years provided. To improve, ensure that your data points are accurately extracted from the chart and that you clearly contrast the trends across all three years.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally misused. For instance, the transition 'The very first sight of graph' is unnatural, and 'Consequently' is used to introduce a point that does not logically follow from the previous sentence. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which income bracket is being discussed. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that flows logically into the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'surged' and 'increased' repeatedly. There are also some awkward word choices, such as 'quielty' (likely a typo for 'quietly' or 'quite') and 'per annum' used incorrectly to describe the number of households rather than the frequency of income. Spelling errors, such as 'illustates' and 'stouds', also detract from the overall quality. To improve, aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase', and proofread carefully to eliminate minor slips.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('it stoods at', 'it also stands at'), incorrect tense usage, and awkward phrasing ('the household for seventy five thousand'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences lacking proper closure. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentence construction is grammatically sound before attempting more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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