Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-31

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 compares the total number of households under different categories of annual earnings across three years; 2007, 2011, and 2015.

Overall, in 2007 and 2015, maximum number of households have an annual income of $100,000 or more, while $25,000-$49,999 was the most common annual earnings in 2011.

In 2015, an annual income of $100,000 or more was found in about 33 million households, compared with about 28 million in 2011, and appromixately 29 million in 2007. About 30 million households had an annual income of $25,000-$49,999 in 2011, while the number of households for same income stood at about 27 million and 28 million respectively in 2007 and 2015. The number of household dropped slighty in each year under the catergory of less than $25,000.

About 20 million households were found in each year with the annual income of $50,000-$74,999. Annual earnings of $75,000-$99,999 was least common, prevalent in about 15 million households in 2015, 18 million in 2011, and 19 million in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the chart and provided a clear overview. You included data points for all categories and years, which effectively supports your summary. However, to reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more analytical rather than just listing figures. For instance, noting that the $100,000+ category showed the most significant growth between 2011 and 2015 would add more depth. The information is accurate, and you have covered all parts of the task well, providing a clear and logical summary of the trends presented in the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. You use cohesive devices such as 'while', 'compared with', and 'in each year' to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third body paragraphs is slightly abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be more smoothly connected to improve the flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. You use terms like 'prevalent', 'categories', and 'annual earnings' appropriately. There are a few spelling errors, such as 'appromixately', 'slighty', and 'catergory', which are minor but noticeable. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'number of households' or 'income' to avoid repetition. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for the higher bands, as the word choices are functional rather than expressive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that communication is not impeded. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'maximum number of households have' (should be 'had' to maintain tense consistency) and 'the number of household dropped' (should be plural 'households'). Punctuation is generally correct, but ensure consistent subject-verb agreement. While you use some complex structures, increasing the variety of your sentence patterns would help demonstrate greater control and flexibility.

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.