Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-20

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 6.0)

The provided bar chart illustrates the information about the number of households, across five income groups yearly, in the United States in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, the high income group ($100,00 or more) has the highest number of households earning that money yearly on the chart, whereas the $75,000-$99,999 income category holds the least number. While the middle income category ($50,000-$74,999) depicted a consistency through out the period, other income brackets experienced minor fluctuations.

In 2007, the high income bracket ($100,00 or more) accounted for nearly 30 million household earning this figure annually, while the $75,000-$99,999 income category made up for around 15 million households and it hovered around this level all through the timeline as the least number seen on this chart. Furthermore, 25 million people earned less than $25,000 while the $25,000-$49,999 income group accounted for around 27 million households that year.

In 2011, The number of high income group ($100,00 or more) dropped slightly to around 27 million, while the $25,000-$49,999 income bracket topped the chart with 30 million households. Additionally, the number for less than $25,000 income category increased to around 29 million. However, the middle-income group ($50,000-$74,999) remained in the same level at 21 million households for the entire timeline.

Finally in the 2015, the number opting high income group ($100,00 or more) reached nearly 35 million while the other categories faced slight decline in number.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features and trends across the three years. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with data from the chart. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting of the data. For instance, you stated the high-income group was the highest in 2007, but the chart shows the $25,000-$49,999 and $50,000-$74,999 groups were actually higher. Additionally, your claim that the middle-income group remained at the same level for the entire timeline is contradicted by the visual data, which shows slight variations. Improving the precision of your data interpretation is essential for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological approach. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In 2007', 'In 2011', and 'Finally'. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'made up for around 15 million households' and 'the number opting high income group'. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the transition between ideas could be smoother to ensure a more natural progression of information. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the mechanical use of some linking words limits the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuations', 'bracket', and 'accounted for'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'number opting high income group' (should be 'number in the high-income group') and 'earning that money yearly'. Additionally, there is a recurring typo in the income figure '$100,00' which should be '$100,000'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that your terminology accurately reflects the data presented in the chart.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the high income group... has the highest number' (should be 'had' to match the past tense of the data) and 'remained in the same level' (should be 'at the same level'). Some articles are also missing or misused, such as 'in the 2015'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent tense usage and correct prepositional phrases will help improve your accuracy.

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

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