Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-01

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 5.0)

The provided bar chart illustrates the information regarding the annual income of US by the numerous number of household in 2007,2011 and 2015. The data was yielded in the millions.

Overall, it is evident that the significant number of household in US were in 2015, also with this least of number of household were in 2011.

In the year 2015, more than $100,000 annual income had the approximately 35 number of households, also who had the annual earning was $25,000-$49,999 had nearby 30. While in year 2007, the 25 millions of households had the yearly income less than $25,000 . Subsequently, those had just above the 20 households have annual salary between $75,000-$99,999.

Furthermore, in the year 2011, the least number of household who have annual revenue between $75,000-$99,999 had a just decline 15. Moreover, who have yearly revenue more than $100,000 had the a substantial number household which was nearby 30.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the task by summarizing the main features of the chart. However, the overview is weak and lacks clarity, as it fails to identify the most significant trends or comparisons. The data reporting is often inaccurate or confusing; for example, stating '35 number of households' is imprecise, as the units are in millions. Furthermore, the comparison between years is disjointed, and some figures are misread or poorly described. To improve, you should focus on selecting the most prominent data points and grouping them logically rather than listing individual figures, which makes the report feel like a collection of isolated facts rather than a cohesive summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression of ideas is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover', but they are often applied mechanically or inappropriately, failing to link ideas smoothly. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that sentences flow logically from one to the next by using a wider variety of linking words that reflect the relationship between the data points.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the data was yielded in the millions' and 'had a just decline 15'. The use of 'nearby' to describe numerical values is incorrect in this context. The vocabulary is generally basic and lacks the precision required for describing statistical data effectively. To reach a higher band, you should learn specific collocations for describing trends, such as 'a significant increase', 'remained stable', or 'reached a peak', and ensure you use the correct units of measurement consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes impede clarity. Issues include incorrect article usage ('the significant number of household'), subject-verb agreement errors, and awkward sentence construction ('those had just above the 20 households have annual salary'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence structure and proofreading for basic errors would significantly improve your score.

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

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