Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

This given bar graph illustrates the number of United states households by annual income from the year 2007 to 2015. It can be observed that in the year 2015 is recorded as the highest annual income of 33 millions and the lowest is recorded in the year 2011

On further analysis, It is vivid that second highest is recorded in the year 2011 and the second lowest is recorded in the year 2015 with 15 million. In contrast, In the year 2007,2011 and 2015 have equal number of households of 21 million having 50000 to 75000 dollars as annual income. Over the years annual income of United states households has escalated in the year 2015

To sum up, From 2007 to 2015 it has been observed that annual income of United states household has significantly increased from 25000 dollars to 75000 dollars which has been recorded as the highest annual income among all the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to accurately report the data provided in the chart. The interpretation of the figures is largely incorrect; for example, stating that 2015 recorded the 'highest annual income of 33 millions' is a misreading of the graph's axes and data points. The summary lacks a clear overview of the main trends, and the comparisons made between years are confusing and factually unsupported by the visual information. To improve, you must carefully identify the axes, categories, and specific data points before writing, ensuring that your summary reflects the actual information presented rather than making general, inaccurate claims.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast' and 'To sum up', they are often used incorrectly or do not logically connect the ideas that follow. The referencing is unclear, and the flow of information is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the intended comparison of the data. Improving the logical structure requires ensuring that each sentence builds upon the previous one and that cohesive devices are used to link related ideas rather than just acting as fillers.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are significant issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'highest annual income of 33 millions' and 'annual income... has escalated'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe trends accurately, relying on basic terms that do not convey the necessary precision for an Academic Task 1 report. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning specific collocations for describing data, such as 'a significant increase', 'remained stable', or 'reached a peak', and ensure you use these terms in the correct context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., '2007, 2011 and 2015 have equal number'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence structures. The range of grammatical structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct verb tenses, and practicing the use of articles and plurals. Reducing the frequency of these errors is essential for achieving a higher score.

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

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