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 bar chart illustrates the number of US households in millions across different yearly income levels in the year 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, it is clear that the number of high-income households increased in 2015, whereas lower-income households noticeable in 2007.
In 2007, approximately 25 million households earned less than $25,000, whereas in 2011, it increased to 29 million. Moreover, around 27 million households earning between $25,000 to $49,000 in 2007, while in 2011, the number of households rose to 30 million. In addition, those annual income between $50,000 to $74,000 and $75,000 to $99,000, remained stable in both year in 2007 and 2011. The income around $100,000 or more represented around 29 million households in 2007, followed by 28 million in 2011.
The maximum number (33 million) of households was $100,000 or above in 2015. In addition, households earning less than $25,000 decreased from 29 million in 2011 to 27 million in 2015. Furthermore, salary between $25,000 to $49,000 also fell from 30 million households to 28 million households. Finally, annual salary groups ($25,000 to $74,999 and $75,000 to $99,999) remained unchanged compare to previous years.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview of the main trends, such as the increase in high-income households by 2015 and the fluctuations in lower-income brackets. You successfully selected key data points to support your summary. However, the report lacks precision in some areas; for instance, the description of the middle-income groups as 'remaining stable' or 'unchanged' is not fully supported by the data provided in the chart. Additionally, the categorization of income groups in the final paragraph is slightly confusing due to overlapping ranges. To improve, ensure that comparisons are more accurate and that data points are clearly linked to the specific years mentioned.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression within the second body paragraph is hindered by the slightly confusing grouping of income brackets. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'approximately', and 'represented'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'lower-income households noticeable in 2007', which is grammatically incomplete. You also rely on basic descriptors like 'increased' and 'decreased' repeatedly. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained constant', and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate to avoid ambiguity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'remained stable in both year in 2007 and 2011' (should be 'years') and 'remained unchanged compare to previous years' (should be 'compared'). There are also issues with missing verbs or incorrect prepositions, such as in the overview sentence. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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