Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-12

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

Overall, high income households $100,000 or more has a most significant growth, while the other income groups changed only slightly over the period.

The number of households who earn less than $25,000 by annual income that was 25 millions in 2007 and in 2011 it increased and reached on approximately 29 millions and in 2015 it stayed almost same that was almost 28 millions. The number of households who earn $25,000 to $49,999 by annual income that was above the 25 millions in 2007 and in 2011 it reached on 30 millions and in 2015 that was almost 27 millions. The number of households who earn $50,000 to $74,999 by annual income that was above the 20 millions in all three years. The number of households who earn $75,000 to $99,999 by annual income that was below the 15 millions in all three years. The number of households who earn $100,000 or more by annual income that was below the 30 millions in 2007 and 2011 but in 2015 it increased and reached on approximately 34 millions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a clear overview of the main trends, identifying the significant growth in the high-income bracket. However, the report is largely a list of data points rather than a synthesis of information. While all categories are mentioned, the lack of comparative language makes the report feel mechanical. For example, instead of simply listing figures for each group, you should group them by trend (e.g., those that increased vs. those that remained stable). The description of the data is accurate, but the lack of analytical grouping prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the body paragraph is a single, dense block of text that is difficult to follow. The use of cohesive devices is repetitive; almost every sentence begins with 'The number of households who earn...', which creates a monotonous flow. To improve, you should use a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases (e.g., 'In contrast,' 'Conversely,' 'Similarly') to connect ideas more fluidly between sentences and categories.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely heavily on basic phrasing such as 'increased,' 'reached,' and 'stayed almost same.' There is also a recurring issue with word choice, such as 'by annual income,' which is used redundantly throughout the text. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated,' 'remained relatively stable,' or 'experienced a marked increase.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Many sentences are awkward, such as 'reached on approximately 29 millions,' where the preposition 'on' is unnecessary and 'millions' should be 'million' when preceded by a number. Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'a most significant growth'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction limit the score.

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