Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-26
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 bar graph compares the number of US households in millions, by annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, households earned $75,000-$99,999, had the lowest number throughout the period, while households earned $100,000 or more experienced the most significant growth. In contrast, households earned within $50,000-$74,999, showed almost the same figure over the period.
In 2007, $100,000 or more households, stood first around 29 millions followed by $25,000-$49,999 figured almost 27 millions, households earned less than $25,000 accounted for 25 millions and $75,000-$99,999 figured approximately 29.5 millions. In 2011, households category of $25,000-$49,999 considerably rose to 30 millions with first position followed by households earned less than $25,000 stood second with figured for 29 millions, households $100,000 or more faced slightly declined, reached to 28 millions and similarly $75,000-$99,999 declined minor and stood last with accounted for 19 millions. In 2015, $100,000 or more against stood first and $75,000-$99,999 stood last.
In contrast, households $50,000-$74,999 remained same throughout the period and maintained it's 3rd position.
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, including the overall trends and specific data points. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state that in 2007, the $100,000+ category was at 29 million and the $75,000-$99,999 category was at 29.5 million, which contradicts the visual data provided. Furthermore, the description of the 2015 data is incomplete, as you mention the first and last positions but fail to provide the actual figures for those categories. To improve, ensure that data points are read precisely from the graph and that all categories mentioned are supported by specific figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Overall', and 'In 2007'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the reference to the 2015 data is abrupt. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the lack of detail in the final paragraph disrupts the overall coherence of the report. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, developed focus would improve the score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'stood first', 'figured', and 'accounted for'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'declined minor' instead of 'declined slightly'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise terminology to describe trends (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'surpassed'). Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on correct word forms will help elevate your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'households earned $75,000-$99,999, had the lowest number' (incorrect comma usage), 'households category of $25,000-$49,999 considerably rose' (missing preposition/article), and 'maintained it's 3rd position' (incorrect use of 'it's' instead of 'its'). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, punctuation, and ensuring that your verbs correctly agree with the subjects.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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