Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-22

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)

Information about the number of individuals in the US based on their annual income in the three years is depicted by the following chart.

Overall, it is evident from the rudimentary glance that individuals who had their income less than 25,000 and 100,000 or more were increased over the years compared to the other which were almost similar in the 3 years of time.

Firstly, adding the view of the individuals who had the income groups of $50,000-$74,999 and $75,000-$99,999 were remained almost same throughout the entire 3 years of duration. Wherein, the income group of less than $25,000 were increased gradually but reduced in the final year.

Alternatively, the individuals who had income group of $100,000 or more were just under 30 millions which were steadily reduced but jumped to just above 30 marking rise in that specific group of individuals. The further people who belong to income category of $25,000-$49,999 looked similar with just minor increase and decrease in the data.

To conclude that, the various categories of the annual income were alike similar throughout the 3 years of time but steady increase was seen in category who had annual income of $100,000 or more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is inconsistent and occasionally inaccurate. For example, you state that the income group of less than $25,000 increased but then reduced, which does not align with the provided data trends. Additionally, the overview is somewhat vague, using phrases like 'rudimentary glance' which is not appropriate for an academic report. While you identify the main trends, the lack of precision in reporting the figures and the misinterpretation of some data points prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure you carefully verify the data points against the visual information and avoid subjective commentary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. Phrases like 'Adding the view of' and 'Alternatively' do not always logically connect the sentences or paragraphs. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the third paragraph where the transition between income groups feels abrupt. While there is an attempt to use linking words, they do not always serve to improve the flow of the argument. Improving the variety and accuracy of your cohesive devices will help create a smoother, more professional narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary range is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic descriptors such as 'increased', 'reduced', and 'similar'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'rudimentary glance' and 'the further people', which sound unnatural in an academic context. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a marginal increase'. Expanding your repertoire of academic vocabulary will allow you to describe the data with greater sophistication and clarity.

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. For instance, 'individuals who had their income less than 25,000... were increased' is grammatically incorrect; the passive voice is misused here. Other issues include subject-verb agreement errors, such as 'income groups... were remained almost same'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To improve, focus on mastering the use of passive voice for data reporting and ensuring that your subjects and verbs agree consistently throughout your sentences.

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

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