Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-24

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 shows the number of household

across different annual income brackets in the

United States in 2007, 2011, and 2015.

Overall, most income level-groups showed some

form of growth during this period, apart from

the $50,000–$74,999 group. The $75,000–$99,999

income group consistently represented the

smallest proportion, while those with at least

$100,000 income held the largest share in 2007

and 2015.

For the lowest income households (earning less

than $25,000) there was a notable rise from

around 25 million in 2007 to approximately

28 million in 2011. However, this number

dipped slightly to about 27 million in 2015.

Similarly household with annual income range of

$25,000–$49,999 grew from about 27 million in

2007 and 29 million in 2011, only to decline

back to 28 million in 2015.

In contrast, the highest income households

($100,000 or more) saw their numbers fall from

nearly 29 million in 2007 to around 27 million

in 2011. In 2015, Increased from 27 million to

33 million. Households in the $50,000–$74,999

and $75,000–$99,999 income brackets remained

relatively steady throughout the years, around

21 million and 14 million respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response provides a clear overview and selects key features, such as the growth trends and the smallest/largest income groups. You successfully identified the main trends across the three years. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you stated that the highest income group saw their numbers fall from 29 million to 27 million in 2011, but then noted an increase to 33 million in 2015. While the trends are generally captured, ensure that the figures cited align precisely with the visual data provided to avoid misinterpretation. The summary is well-structured and covers all parts of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and an overview. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'However' to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different income categories. The progression of ideas is clear throughout the text, and referencing is generally accurate. To reach a higher band, ensure that the transition between sentences is even smoother and that the logical flow is maintained without any minor mechanical issues in sentence structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'income brackets', 'represented the smallest proportion', and 'remained relatively steady' are appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'income level-groups' which is slightly redundant. You attempt to use a variety of terms, but there is room to incorporate more sophisticated collocations to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stagnant'. Overall, the vocabulary is adequate and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'Similarly household with annual income range...' (missing an article) and 'In 2015, Increased from 27 million...' (missing a subject). These errors are minor and do not impede the reader's understanding. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject. The variety of structures is sufficient, but increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences would help elevate your score.

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.