Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-13

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 United States, measured in millions, across five different annual income groups in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, households earning $100,000 or more experienced the most significant increase over the period, becoming the largest income group by 2015. In contrast, the number of households earning $50,000–$74,999 remained almost unchanged. The two lowest income categories also showed relatively moderate fluctuations.

In 2007, approximately 25 million households earned less than $25,000, while the figure for those earning $25,000–$49,999 was slightly higher, at around 27 million. About 21 million households were in the $50,000–$74,999 bracket, and the $75,000–$99,999 group was the smallest, at roughly 14 million. Meanwhile, around 29 million households earned $100,000 or more.

By 2011, the number of households earning under $25,000 had risen to approximately 29 million, while the $25,000–$49,999 group increased to 30 million. The figures for the two middle-income groups remained almost the same, at about 21 million and 14 million, respectively. However, households earning at least $100,000 declined slightly to 28 million.

In 2015, the highest-income group increased considerably to approximately 33 million, making it the largest category. The figures for households earning less than $25,000 and $25,000–$49,999 were about 28 million and 29 million, respectively. The $50,000–$74,999 group remained stable at 21 million, while the $75,000–$99,999 category rose marginally 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 significant growth in the highest income bracket and the stability of the middle-income groups. The data is accurately selected and reported, with relevant comparisons made between the years. The information is well-organised, and the key features are highlighted without unnecessary detail. You have successfully identified the most significant changes, which demonstrates a strong grasp of the data provided. The response is fully developed and meets all requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organised, with a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the overview and the subsequent body paragraphs. Each paragraph has a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'However' are used effectively to link ideas and show relationships between the data points. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall readability of the report. The flow of information is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text, making the report easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information precisely. Phrases like 'most significant increase', 'remained almost unchanged', and 'moderate fluctuations' are well-chosen and appropriate for an academic report. The use of 'bracket', 'category', and 'figure' shows a good command of topic-specific language. While the vocabulary is accurate and natural, it could be slightly more varied to reach the highest band, but it is certainly more than adequate for the task and demonstrates a good level of flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of participial phrases ('becoming the largest income group') and subordinate clauses. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control of grammar and punctuation is consistently high. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The sentence structures are varied, which helps maintain the reader's interest and demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence. The accuracy is maintained throughout the entire response.

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