Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The given bar graph compares the number of US households, measured in millions, by their annual salary from 2007 to 2015.

Overall, the number of households earning $100,000 or more increased significantly and became the largest group by 2015. The two middle-income groups and the lowest-income groups showed only small fluctuations.

In 2007, about 25 million households earned less than $25,000, whilst around 27 million were in the $25,000-$49,999 group. The figures for $50,000-$74,999 and $75,000-$99,999 were approximately 21 million and 14 million, respectively. The highest income group recorded about 29 million households.

In 2011, the $25,000-$49,999 category became the largest at roughly 30 million, while the $100,00+ group fell slightly to about 28 million. In addition, medium-income groups remained the same as in the previous year. By 2015, households earning $100,000 or over more rose sharply to around 33 million, the highest figure on the chart. Meanwhile, the two middle-income groups remained almost unchanged, and the less than $25,000 and $25,000-$49,999 groups were marginal decreased to only about 27 million and 28 million, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers the requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends, such as the significant increase in the highest income group and the relative stability of the middle-income brackets. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. You have made relevant comparisons between the years and categories, which is essential for a high band score. The data is accurately reported, and the inclusion of specific figures supports your analysis well. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully developed, perhaps by explicitly contrasting the growth of the top tier against the stagnation of the lower tiers more directly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the general overview to specific data points in chronological order. Cohesive devices such as 'whilst', 'in addition', and 'meanwhile' are used appropriately to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is logical, separating the 2007 data from the subsequent years. The flow is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text, which helps the reader navigate the information without confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'showed only small fluctuations', 'recorded about', and 'rose sharply' are well-chosen and appropriate for an academic report. There is a good attempt to use varied terminology to describe trends. However, there are minor issues with word choice, such as 'marginal decreased', which should be 'marginally decreased'. While the vocabulary is adequate and generally accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific terms would elevate the lexical resource score further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'while the $100,00+ group fell slightly'. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar does not impede communication. There are a few minor slips, such as the aforementioned 'marginal decreased' (adverb needed) and the phrasing 'remained the same as in the previous year' when referring to 2011 data compared to 2007. Overall, your control of grammar is strong, and the punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your writing.

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

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