Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The flow chart below illustrates the number of households in the US by their annual income in three different years.

Overall, the number of US households in millions, by annual income was more in 2007 and 2011 was normal but, annual income was more in 2015.

First of all, we shows the number of households in America by their annual income in 2007. 39 million households annual income was $100,000 or more. Moreover, 25 to 27 million households annual income was $25,000-$49,999. And 14 million households annual income was $75,000-$99,999.

Furthermore, after the four years 26 million households annual salary was $25,000-$49,999. And 14 million households had only same salary like before 4 years. Moreover, 26 million households annual salary was less than $25,000.

Now, we discuss about the annual income in 2015.

33 million households annual salary was $50,000-$74,999. And 26 to 27 million households annual income was around $25,000-$74,999. And annual salary was such as same the two years 2007 and 2011 like $75,000-$99,999.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to provide a clear or accurate overview. The 'Overall' paragraph is confusing and lacks specific detail, failing to highlight the main trends or significant changes over the period. While the response mentions some figures, the data selection is inconsistent and often inaccurate compared to the provided chart. For example, the description of 2015 is vague and fails to clearly contrast the income brackets. The response lacks a logical focus on the most significant features, resulting in an under-developed summary that does not fully address the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inappropriate, such as 'First of all, we shows' and 'Now, we discuss about'. Referencing is often unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between years. The transition between paragraphs is abrupt, and the lack of logical flow between the data points hinders the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic phrasing like 'number of households' and 'annual income'. There is little attempt to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends or data points. Errors in word choice, such as 'annual salary was such as same the two years', impede clarity. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe statistical data, which limits the ability to convey information effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often affect readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('we shows'), tense consistency, and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple or poorly constructed, lacking the complexity required for higher bands. Punctuation is also inconsistent, and the misuse of prepositions and articles is common. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of errors indicates a lack of control over basic grammatical structures.

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

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