Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-14
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 information about number of households and compares their figures 2007, 2011,and 2015. The data is presented in percentages or numbers, showing how each category performed in comparison with the others.
Overall, it is evident that $100,000 or more was by far the most dominant, while $75,000-$99,999 recorded the lowest figure. It is also noticeable that there was a significant gap between the highest and lowest values.
In terms of the larger figures, $100,000 or more stood at 32 million. The second-ranked category was @25,000-$49,999, which recorded almost 30 million. Another category, $50,000-$74,999, also accounted for a considerable amount, at 20 million in 2011.
By contrast, $75,000-$99,999 recorded the smallest figure, at near by 15 million. The remaining categories showed relatively modest values. For examples that $25,000 and $25,000-$489,999 stood at 25 million and almost 26 million respectively in 2007. The difference between the top and bottom categories was substantial. Taken together, the data suggests that a few categories played a major role, whereas the others contributed much smaller proportions overall.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to provide a clear, accurate overview of the trends across the three years. The task requires reporting on the changes in household numbers over time (2007, 2011, and 2015), yet the student focuses on isolated figures without effectively comparing the years or identifying the main trends. Several figures are cited inaccurately or confusingly, such as the mention of '$25,000-$489,999', which is not a category in the chart. The response lacks a systematic approach to reporting the data, making it difficult for the reader to grasp the overall picture of how income distribution changed in the US during this period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is weak. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'In terms of' and 'By contrast', they are sometimes used to introduce information that does not logically follow the previous point. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, and the lack of clear data grouping makes the overall flow feel disjointed rather than a cohesive summary of the provided chart.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'near by 15 million' instead of 'nearly 15 million' or 'recorded the smallest figure'. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on basic descriptors like 'significant gap', 'considerable amount', and 'modest values'. There are also errors in the presentation of data categories, which suggests a lack of attention to detail in reporting the specific information provided in the prompt.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('about number of households'), incorrect preposition usage, and punctuation errors. For example, the sentence 'For examples that $25,000 and $25,000-$489,999 stood at 25 million...' is grammatically incoherent. While these errors do not completely prevent the reader from understanding the general intent, they are frequent enough to cause some difficulty and indicate a lack of control over complex structures. More attention to subject-verb agreement and sentence construction is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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