Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-23
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)
The given bar chart depicts the information about the number of households in the US in time span of 2007, 2011 and 2015 with their annual income.
From the overall perspective of the chart, the year 2015 had the most amount of income in all categories as compared to the other years. It means the house holds has increased their in come over the time.
To begin with the year 2007. The highest amount of annual income is of $100,000 or more with 29 million house holds. The lowest annual income is of $75,000-$99,999 with 14 million house holds.
Secondly the year 2011. The highest amount is of annual income is of $25,000-$49,999 with 30 million house holds. The lowest annual income is of $75,000-$99,999 with 13 million house holds.
At last with the year 2015. The biggest amount of annual income is of $100,000 or more with 33 million house holds. The lowest annual income is of $75,000-$99,999 with 15 million house holds.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks depth. While you identify the highest and lowest categories for each year, you fail to effectively compare the trends across the three years. For instance, stating that 'households has increased their income' is a broad generalization that does not accurately reflect the specific data points provided. To reach a higher band, you should group the data more logically and highlight significant changes or patterns rather than simply listing the highest and lowest points for each year in isolation. The overview is present but could be more analytical.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'To begin with', 'Secondly', and 'At last' are used in a mechanical way. Furthermore, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, try to use a wider range of linking words and ensure that sentences within paragraphs flow more naturally. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the logical progression between ideas could be strengthened by focusing on comparisons rather than just listing data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use the same phrases, such as 'amount of annual income' and 'million house holds'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'most amount of income' (which should refer to the number of households, not the income itself) and 'house holds' (which should be one word: 'households'). To improve, you should incorporate a more varied range of vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'accounted for', and ensure correct spelling and word formation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('house holds has increased') and incorrect preposition usage ('in time span of'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several sentence fragments, such as 'To begin with the year 2007.' which lacks a main verb. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of complex structures and the frequency of basic grammatical errors limit the score. To improve, focus on combining simple sentences into complex ones using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions and proofread for basic agreement errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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