Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-19

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 number of family lived in the United states following the annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, the number of households in 2015 accounted for highest number of household with an income of $[redacted phone] or more, whereas around 15 million people also lived in households earning $75000-$99999.

In 2007, the number of households that lived in the US and had an annual income of less than $25,000 was 25 million. In addition, there were 2 million household extra, whose earning were $25,0000-$49,999. However, the number of household that lived in the US and whose annual income was $50,000-$74999 was nearly equal in every year around 21 million. Moreover, In 2007 and 2011 both were less than 30 million people lived in the US, whose earning were $100,000 or more except 2015 were 34 million household lived in the US.

On the other hand, there were 25 million households in 2011 and 2015, whose annual income was less than $25000. In addition, the number of individuals around 30 million, whose annual income was above $25000-$49999 and less than 2 million was in 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the highest income bracket and the general trends across the years. However, the report is marred by significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you mention '2 million household extra' and 'less than 2 million' in ways that do not clearly correspond to the provided chart data. Furthermore, the description of the $50,000-$74,999 category as 'nearly equal in every year' is a vague summary that lacks precision. To improve, ensure that you carefully cross-reference your figures with the chart and avoid confusing the reader with unclear data points. The overview is present but lacks a clear, concise summary of the most significant trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow of information is often disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'In addition' and 'On the other hand', their usage is sometimes mechanical or logically misplaced. For example, the transition between the 2007 data and the 2011/2015 data is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the income brackets, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison. To improve, focus on grouping related data points more logically and using a wider variety of linking words to create a smoother progression between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. You frequently use the phrase 'number of households' and 'lived in the US', which limits the range of your expression. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'earning were' instead of 'earnings were'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied terminology for describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant increase'. Additionally, ensure that you use appropriate terminology for financial data, such as 'income brackets' or 'earning categories', to enhance the professional tone of your report.

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. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'number of family lived' instead of 'number of families living') and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'except 2015 were 34 million household lived'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, specifically regarding verb tenses and pluralisation, to ensure your sentences are error-free.

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

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