Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-04
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 chart shows the number of households in the US as well as their annual income in three years 2007, 2011 and 2015.
The overall bar graph shows fewer fluctuations throughout the years. In 2007 the number of houses were 25 with annual income of less than $25000. These number increased to around 29% in 2011 and 27% in 2015.
Similarly, the number of households with $25000 to $49999 annual income was 27% in 2007 and it slightly increased to 30% in 2011. However, it decreased to around 29% again in 2015.
On the other hand, the number of houses with annual income $75000 to $99999 was 14% in 2007 but it slightly decreased to 13% in 2011 and rose again in 2015 to 15%.
However, there houses with annual income of $50000 to $74999 stabilized at 21%. The peak shown by the houses with more than $[redacted phone] annual incom
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to complete the task as it ends abruptly mid-sentence. While you have identified some key features and made comparisons, the overview is weak and the data presentation is incomplete. You have not provided a summary of the final category (over $100,000), which is a significant omission. To improve, ensure you cover all data points presented in the chart and provide a clear, concise overview of the main trends. The abrupt ending suggests a lack of time management or planning, which prevents the response from fully addressing the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the logical flow is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the final sentence. Cohesive devices such as 'Similarly', 'However', and 'On the other hand' are used, but they are sometimes applied mechanically. The lack of a concluding summary or a completed final point makes the overall structure feel unfinished. To improve, focus on ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your ideas flow logically from one to the next, leading to a complete and coherent conclusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely heavily on repetitive phrasing such as 'the number of houses' and 'annual income'. There is an attempt to use some specific terminology, but the range is limited. To reach a higher band, try to vary your vocabulary by using synonyms and more descriptive verbs to report trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase'. Avoid repeating the same sentence structures and vocabulary throughout the report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are several grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the writing. For example, 'the number of houses were 25' should be 'the number of households was 25 million' (assuming the unit is millions). Additionally, 'there houses' is a spelling error for 'these houses'. The sentence structures are relatively simple, and the incomplete final sentence prevents the assessment of more complex grammatical forms. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that your sentences are complete and punctuated correctly before moving on to more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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