Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

first of all, this chart show the income of citizen of united state households from the period of 2007 to 2015 with specific data shows up and down in income they earn every year

in 2007 the average income of US household is different , 25 millions household have average income less than 25000$ while 27 millions household have income around 25000 to 49999$,14 millions household income is 50000 to 74999$ , the last income of 2007 chart numbers are 29 millions household have income of [redacted phone]$ or more

In 2011 the income average is changed 28 millions household have income of 25000$, The 30 millions household have income of 25000 to 49999$,while

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Furthermore, the response is incomplete; it stops abruptly mid-sentence while discussing the 2011 data and fails to address the 2015 data entirely. While the introduction attempts to outline the chart's purpose, the lack of a clear overview and the failure to complete the task mean that the main features are not adequately reported or compared. To improve, you must ensure you cover all years provided in the prompt and provide a summary of the overall trends before concluding.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5

The text lacks proper paragraphing and logical progression. The sentences are presented as a list of data points rather than a cohesive report. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas, and the abrupt ending makes the overall structure incoherent. To improve, use transition words such as 'in contrast,' 'furthermore,' or 'meanwhile' to connect your observations. Organize your response into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and specific details for each year.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic phrasing like 'income of' and 'household have'. There are also errors in word formation and pluralization, such as 'citizen of united state' instead of 'citizens of the United States'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated,' 'remained stable,' or 'accounted for'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('the' US), incorrect verb tenses, and punctuation issues. Sentence structures are simple and often lack proper subject-verb agreement, such as 'this chart show' instead of 'this chart shows'. There is no evidence of complex sentence structures. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and practice using articles and prepositions correctly.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.