Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-11

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 7.5)

The bar chart illustrates the number of households in the US, measured in millions, across five annual income groups in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

It is evident that households earning $100,000 or more showed the most noticeable growth, while the figures for the other income groups remained relatively stable. The $75,000–$99,999 category had the fewest households throughout the period.

In 2007, around 25 million households earned less than $25,000, while approximately 27 million were in the $25,000–$49,999 group. The figures then dropped to about 21 million and 14 million for the $50,000–$74,999 and $75,000–$99,999 categories respectively. By comparison, nearly 29 million households earned $100,000 or more.

In 2011, the number of households earning less than $25,000 rose to roughly 29 million, while the $25,000–$49,999 group reached 30 million. The two middle-income categories remained almost unchanged, at around 21 million and 14 million. By 2015, the highest-income group had increased considerably to approximately 33 million, making it the largest category. Meanwhile, the remaining groups showed only minor changes, with the $75,000–$99,999 category rising slightly to 15 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends, such as the growth in the highest-income category and the relative stability of others. The selection of data is accurate, and you have made relevant comparisons between the years and income groups. The report is well-structured, covering the key features without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are clearly linked to the specific years provided in the prompt, as some comparisons could be even more explicitly contrasted to highlight the shifts between 2007, 2011, and 2015.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data effectively. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'while', 'by comparison', and 'meanwhile' to link sentences and clauses. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The flow is natural, and the information is presented in a way that is easy for the reader to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information with precision. Phrases like 'most noticeable growth', 'remained relatively stable', and 'increased considerably' demonstrate a good command of descriptive language. The terminology related to the chart (e.g., 'income groups', 'categories') is used accurately. While the vocabulary is appropriate and precise, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common collocations related to statistical trends could further enhance the lexical variety. Overall, the language is natural and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while the figures for the other income groups remained...') and participial phrases ('making it the largest category'). The grammar is highly accurate, with no significant errors that impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and you demonstrate a strong control over tense usage when describing past data. The writing is clear, professional, and demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence.

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

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