Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

the given bar chart illustrates the distribution of us households by annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

overall, the number of households earning $100,000 or more saw the most significant increase and became the largest income group by 2015. in contrast, the middle-income groups remained relatively stable, while the lower-income groups fluctuated slightly.

in 2007, around 29 million households earned $100,000 or more, making in the largest category, followed by 27 million earning $25,- $49,999 and 25 million earning less than $25,000. the $50,000-$99,999 group was the smallest at about 14 million.

by 2011, the number of households earning less than $25,000 and 25,000-$49,999 both increased to 28 million and 29 million respectively, making the $25k-$49k bracket the largest in that year. households in the highest bracket fell slightly to 27 million.

in 2015, there was a notable recovery in high-income households, which surged to 32 million, again becoming the dominant group. the other categories remained fairly similar to previous years, at 27 million for the lowest income, 28 million for 425k-$49k, 20 million for 450k-$74k and 14 million for $75k-499k.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the main trends. You successfully identified the significant increase in the highest income bracket and the relative stability of others. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you stated that in 2007, the $100,000+ group was the largest at 29 million, but the chart shows the $50,000-$74,999 group was actually larger. Additionally, the 2015 data points in your final paragraph contain several inconsistencies compared to the provided chart (e.g., the $50k-$74k and $75k-$99k categories). Improving the precision of data extraction is essential for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological approach. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods. Cohesive devices such as 'in contrast,' 'by 2011,' and 'in 2015' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by minor mechanical errors, such as the lack of capitalization at the start of sentences. While the progression is clear, the transition between the data points in the final paragraph could be smoother to avoid a list-like feel.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'distribution,' 'fluctuated,' 'notable recovery,' and 'dominant group' appropriately. There are some minor issues with formatting and clarity, such as '25,- $49,999' and '425k-$49k,' which appear to be typographical errors rather than a lack of vocabulary. While the range is sufficient to convey the main features, it lacks the more sophisticated, precise collocations that would push the score into the higher bands. Focusing on consistent formatting and more varied descriptive language would improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'the number of households... saw the most significant increase and became the largest income group.' While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in punctuation and capitalization, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters. There are also minor grammatical slips, such as 'making in the largest category' (should be 'making it'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. Increasing the number of error-free sentences and paying closer attention to basic mechanics will improve your grade.

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

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