Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The chart shows the number of households in the US by their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, it is clear that number of households with annual income of $100,000 or more is the clear winner in 2007 and especially 2015. In contrast, households who earn $75,000-$99999 has the lowest figure throughout the years. While, number of households with annual income of $50,000-$74,999 has remained relatively stable over the period. Households with annual income of $25,000-$49,999 fluctuated slightly over the years.

Regarding the number of households, households with annual income of $100,000 or more recorded the highest figure at roughly 29 million in 2007, before declined slightly to 26 million in 2011 and rose significantly to 33 million in 2015. In comparison, number of households with annual income of $75,000-$99,999 started with nearly 14 million in 2007, dropped to roughly 13 million in 2011 and increased to 15 million in 2015.

On the other hand, number of households with annual income of $25,000-$49,999 accounted at approximately 21 million in 2007 and it has retained the same figure in 2011 and 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the trends for the various income brackets. However, the task achievement is limited by the omission of data for the '$50,000-$74,999' category in the body paragraphs, despite mentioning it in the overview. Additionally, the description of the '$25,000-$49,999' category is slightly inaccurate based on the provided data, as it does not remain identical across all years. To reach a higher band, ensure all categories mentioned in the overview are supported by specific data points in the body paragraphs and maintain strict accuracy when interpreting the visual information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific data. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'While', and 'On the other hand' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by repetitive phrasing, such as starting multiple sentences with 'number of households'. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by varying the sentence structure and using a wider range of cohesive links to connect the data points more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends such as 'fluctuated', 'declined', and 'rose significantly'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'accounted at' (should be 'accounted for') and the repetitive use of 'figure'. To improve, the writer should aim for more precise terminology and avoid repeating the same nouns and verbs. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles (e.g., 'it is clear that number of households' should be 'the number of households') and verb tense consistency (e.g., 'it has retained' is used when describing 2007 data). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent use of articles and verb tenses would significantly enhance the grammatical quality of the writing.

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

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