Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The column chart illustrates the number of United States house chores by their annual income between 2007, 2011 and 2015. At a glance, in the given all three years annual income is similar.
The number of households annual income more than $1 lakh was the highest in all the three given years, the number of annual incomes earned $1 lakh, or more was 29 million in the year 2007. Less than $25,000 to $99,999 was under 20-22 million, the least income earned by households was 14 million.
In 2011 and 2015, the figure of house chores their annual income was approximately same, $1 lakh or more earned by 27 million people in 2011 by contrast, in 2015 the figure was 33 million. The number of people who earned more annual income was in the year 2015.
Overall, it is evident that in all year the figure was marginal fluctuated, in the last year it was considerable higher.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the task by identifying the main features of the chart, such as the highest income category. However, the data reporting is often inaccurate or confusing. For example, the student mentions '14 million' as the least income earned, but it is unclear which category this refers to. The description of the trends is also vague, using phrases like 'marginal fluctuated' instead of precise analytical language. While the main features are selected, the lack of clarity in data presentation and the failure to consistently compare the three years effectively limits the score. To improve, ensure that data points are clearly linked to their respective categories and years.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is weak. The transition between sentences is often abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the phrase 'At a glance' is used, but the following sentence does not clearly summarize the overall trend. Referencing is also problematic; the term 'house chores' is used incorrectly instead of 'households', which confuses the reader. The overall structure lacks a clear, cohesive flow, making it difficult to follow the comparison of the data across the three years.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains significant errors. The most notable error is the repeated use of 'house chores' instead of 'households', which is a fundamental misunderstanding of the task. Other phrasing is repetitive and lacks the precision required for an academic report, such as 'the figure of house chores their annual income was approximately same'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the data with the necessary nuance. To improve, focus on learning specific terminology for describing charts and trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'reached a peak'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies on a limited range of sentence structures, and there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Examples include 'in the given all three years annual income is similar' and 'in all year the figure was marginal fluctuated'. These errors in subject-verb agreement, word order, and tense usage are persistent. While the meaning is generally discernible, the lack of control over complex structures and the frequency of basic errors prevent a higher score. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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