Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21

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 Bar charts illustrates the changes in the number of families in the US by their yearly earnings in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, Families earning 100 k$ or more had grown strongly and even rose to significant number by 2015. Meanwhile, Families earning between 75 k$ to 100 k$ stayed more or less constant to be the lowest.

Firstly, in 2007, large number of households income were more than or equal to $100,000, at 29 millions. It declined a little by 3 to 4 millions in 2011 but gradually grew again to 33 millions households in 2015. Families income between 25 k$ to 50 k$ grew by some margin to reach 30 millions in 2011 after starting at 27 millions. By 2015, it reduced to about 28 millions households.

However, families earning less then 25 k$ started at 25 millions and grew to 28 millions in 2011 and settled to 27.5 millions by 2015. On the other hand, households which earns between 75 k$ to 100 k$ remained steady through out the span of 9 years ranging from 2007 to 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response provides a clear overview of the main trends and selects relevant data points to support the description. You successfully identified the growth in the highest income bracket and the stability of the $75k-$100k group. However, the report could be improved by ensuring all data points are accurate; for instance, you mention the $75k-$100k group was the 'lowest,' but the chart shows the $50k-$75k group was actually lower in some years. Additionally, ensure that the units (millions) are consistently applied to all figures to avoid ambiguity. Overall, the main features are covered, but more precise data reporting would elevate the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is clear, and you use transition signals such as 'Overall,' 'Meanwhile,' 'Firstly,' and 'However' to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different income categories. While the flow is generally good, some cohesive devices are slightly repetitive or mechanical. To improve, try to vary the way you link sentences and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'it' or 'the former') is always unambiguous to maintain a smooth, professional flow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant number,' 'gradually grew,' and 'remained steady.' There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'large number of households income' (should be 'households' income' or 'number of households with an income') and 'less then' (should be 'less than'). While you attempt to use some descriptive language, the vocabulary is somewhat limited and occasionally imprecise. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring accurate spelling and word forms throughout your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('households which earns' should be 'households which earn') and minor punctuation errors. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. You show an ability to construct complex sentences, but the control over these structures is inconsistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage (e.g., ensuring you stay in the past tense when describing 2007-2015 data) will help improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.