Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-03

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 4.0)

The bar chart illustrates the number of households in the U.S. by annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015:

In 2007, 25 millions of households have income less than $ 25,000 whereas 27% of indiviuals have income of $ 25,000- 49,999 whereas 21% of citizens have income of $ 50,000- $ 74,999. on the other hand 15% of citizens $ 75,000 - $ 99,999, whereas 30 million households earns $ 100,000 or more.

In 2011, 28 million of households earns less than $ 25,000

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The response is significantly under the required word count, which severely limits the ability to address the task. It fails to provide a summary of the main features or make meaningful comparisons across the three years provided. The data presented is incomplete, and the response stops abruptly after only mentioning a few figures for 2007 and 2011. Because the response is unfinished and lacks a clear overview or a comprehensive analysis of the data, it does not meet the requirements for a passing band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text lacks a logical structure or paragraphing. The use of cohesive devices is repetitive and mechanical, with the word 'whereas' used multiple times in a single sentence, which creates a disjointed flow. There is no clear progression of ideas, and the abrupt ending prevents the development of a coherent report. The lack of an introduction or a concluding summary further hinders the overall organization of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic phrasing such as 'number of households' and 'income of'. There are inaccuracies in terminology, such as switching between 'households', 'individuals', and 'citizens' without clear distinction, which confuses the reader. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the ability to describe trends or data points effectively, and the errors in basic numerical expression (e.g., '25 millions of') detract from the clarity of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'households earns') and incorrect pluralization (e.g., '25 millions of households'). The sentence structures are simplistic and often fragmented. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly regarding the use of currency symbols and spacing. The lack of complex sentence structures and the high frequency of basic errors indicate a very limited control of grammar.

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

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