Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The bar chart illustrates the number of US households categorized by their annual income levels in the years 2007, 2011, and 2015.

Overall, it is evident that households with the highest income ($100,000 or more) consistently represented the largest group, showing significant growth over the period. In contrast, lower-income brackets remained relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations observed across the three years.

Regarding the other income groups, those earning between $25,000 and $49,999 were the second largest group initially, with about 27 million households in 2007. This number increased to nearly 30 million in 2011.

Meanwhile, the lowest income bracket (less than $25,000) started at roughly 25 million,

rose to become the second largest group in 2011 with about 28 million, and then declined slightly in 2015.

Finally, the middle-income categories showed the least variation. Households earning $50,000-$74,999 remained stable at approximately 22 million, while those earning $75,000-$99,999 stayed constant at nearly 14 million across all three years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively identifies the main features and trends of the data. You have successfully highlighted the growth in the highest income bracket and the relative stability of the middle-income groups. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the overall trends. However, to reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are fully accurate; for instance, the description of the $50,000-$74,999 category as 'stable' is a good observation, but ensure that comparisons between categories are consistently made throughout the report to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the relationships between the groups.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by income category. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'Finally' helps to guide the reader through the data effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the specific details. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a well-structured response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'categorized by', 'annual income levels', and 'minor fluctuations' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, it lacks the more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' or 'stable' and use more precise collocations when describing statistical trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. You have used a variety of structures, such as participial phrases ('categorized by...') and subordinate clauses, which shows good control. While the writing is clear, there is room to include a wider range of complex grammatical structures to demonstrate greater flexibility and precision in your writing.

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

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