Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-10

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 chart illustrates the number of households in the US by their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, it is clear that 2015 has the highest households having annual income of $100,000 or more. And year 2011 has the lowest annual income of $75,000-$99,999. Comparatively, the income grows gradually from year 2007 to 2015.

Looking first at year 2007, it has the highest annual income of $100,000 in 29 million households. And the lowest annual income of $75,000-$99,999 in 14 million households.

Then in year 2011, the highest income of $100,000 in around 27 million households. And the lowest income of $75,000-$99,999 in 13 million households.

At last in year 2015, it has the highest annual income of $100,000 in around 33 million households. And the lowest income of $75,000-$99,999 in 15 million households.

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 score. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is quite repetitive and lacks depth. You have focused almost exclusively on the highest and lowest categories, neglecting the middle-income brackets entirely. To improve, you should aim to provide a more comprehensive overview of the data trends across all categories rather than just listing figures. The under-length nature of the response means that the task is only partially addressed, as there is insufficient development of the information provided in the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'Looking first at', 'Then in year', and 'At last in year' are used to transition between paragraphs, which feels formulaic. There is a lack of variety in linking words, and the progression of ideas is somewhat simplistic. To achieve a higher band, try to use a wider range of cohesive devices and ensure that the flow between sentences is more natural and less dependent on repetitive sentence starters.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use the same phrasing, such as 'highest annual income' and 'lowest annual income', which does not demonstrate a wide range of lexical items. There is also a lack of precision in describing the data; for example, referring to the income brackets as 'the highest annual income' is inaccurate, as these are income categories, not the income itself. To improve, incorporate more varied vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant increase'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, '2015 has the highest households' is awkward; it would be better to say '2015 saw the highest number of households'. Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'in year 2007' instead of 'in 2007'. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on sentence variety and ensuring correct subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.

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

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