Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 graph demonstrates the number of households in the US by their annual income in three different years.

Overall, the salaries tended to increase in the forthcoming year than the previous one. The households with $100,000 salary were more in 2015 compared to 2007 and 2011. However, individuals having other four types of salaries also increased in next years showing the significant improvement in economical condition of US.

In 2007, there were almost 25 million households having the annual income less than $25,000, while above than 25 million ranged from $25,000-$49,000 and above $100,000. The number of 20 million masses and less than that had annual income $50,000-$74,000 and $75,000-$99,000.

For 2011 and 2015, the number of 25 million households and above received annual salaries of $25,000, $25,000-$49,000 and $100,000 above. But the people less than 25 million earned annual income $50,000-$99,000 for both years. The number of people receiving all kinds of salaries increased until 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify that the number of households increased across most categories, the description of the data is imprecise. For instance, stating 'above than 25 million' is vague and does not accurately reflect the specific data points provided in the chart. Furthermore, the grouping of categories in the final paragraph is confusing and lacks the necessary precision required for an Academic Task 1 response. To improve, ensure you select specific data points to support your observations rather than making broad, generalized statements about the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'But the people less than 25 million' is awkward and does not effectively link the ideas. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which specific income brackets are being discussed in the later paragraphs. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band score. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'number of households' and 'annual income'. The use of 'economical condition' is a slight collocation error; 'economic situation' or 'economic status' would be more appropriate. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase', rather than relying on simple verbs like 'increased'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'above than 25 million' is grammatically incorrect, and 'the number of 20 million masses' is an unnatural phrasing. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'in next years' instead of 'in the following years'. While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors prevent the writing from reaching a higher level of grammatical control.

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

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