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 chart illustrates the level of households annual earnings in the US in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, the households income fluctuated over the period. Despite this , the total amount of houses money was higher by the end of the period.
In 2007 around 25 million homes annual income was less than $25,000 and just under 15 million houses icome was between $75,000-$99,999 which remained same in 2011,2007 and 2015. While, the number of houses with the annual revenue between $50,000 and $74,000 remained stable over the period just under the 25 million.
In Addition, the proportion of homes with annual income of more than $25000 and less than $50000
rose from around 27 million in 2007 to 30 million in 2011 and fell to around 28 million in 2015. In 2007 roughly 30 million households anual earning
was more than $100,000, whose numbers fell to around 27 million in 2017. After that there was a massive resurgence to a high point of more than 30 million households in 2015.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the trends for different income brackets. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you mention a fall to 27 million in 2017, but the chart only provides data for 2007, 2011, and 2015. Additionally, the statement that the $75,000-$99,999 bracket 'remained same' in 2011, 2007, and 2015 is factually incorrect based on the visual evidence provided. While you attempt to summarize the information, the lack of precision in data interpretation prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference your descriptions with the specific years and figures provided in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'In addition' and 'While', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the sequence of years is confusing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different income categories. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure that the progression of ideas between sentences is smoother and less repetitive.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use terms like 'houses money' and 'annual revenue', which are not the most natural collocations for describing household income data. There are also some spelling errors, such as 'anual' and 'icome'. While you attempt to use some descriptive language like 'massive resurgence', the range is somewhat limited. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant increase'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'households income fluctuated') and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas and periods. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors occur throughout the text and occasionally distract the reader. To improve, pay closer attention to basic grammar rules, such as possessive forms ('households' income') and consistent verb tense usage when describing historical data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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