Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-05
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 exhibits data about how families in the United States of America consume their annual salary by number of households in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, there are significant changes in spending patterns that occurred in 2007, 2011 and 2015, with noticeable changes in the categories of number of households.
The lower class families, whose income is less than $25000, spent 25 million number of households in 2007 while, in 2011 and 2015, this figure increased steadily and approximately to less than 30 million. In contrast, the middle class families in the US utilized approximately less than 30 million households in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Regarding the higher-upper class families, spent approximately less than 15 million number of households according to their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015. With regards to higher class families, the number of households was almost the same in averaging below 25 million in the years 2007, 2011 and 2015. Regarding the elite class families, spent less than 30 million in the years of 2007 and 2011 while, in contrast it increased up to 33 million in the year of 2015.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the chart, but the interpretation of the data is significantly flawed. You have misinterpreted the Y-axis, which represents the 'number of households' (in millions), not the 'annual salary' or 'spending patterns'. By stating that families 'consume their annual salary' or 'utilize households', you have fundamentally misunderstood the data provided. While you have attempted to report figures for each category, the inaccurate description of what the data represents prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you carefully read the axis labels and the chart title before writing to ensure your summary accurately reflects the information presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the inaccurate interpretation of the data. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast', 'Regarding', and 'With regards to', but they are often repetitive and sometimes used mechanically. The paragraphing is logical, but the internal flow within paragraphs is weakened by the lack of clear, accurate comparisons between the years. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, accurate focus on the data trends.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and often inappropriate due to the misinterpretation of the chart. Phrases like 'consume their annual salary' and 'utilized approximately less than 30 million households' are inaccurate and do not reflect the data correctly. There is some attempt to use descriptive language, but it is often imprecise. You rely on repetitive structures and basic vocabulary. To improve, focus on using precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase', and ensure that your word choices accurately describe the units and categories shown in the graph.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'spent 25 million number of households' and 'in the year of 2015'. These errors, while not always impeding communication, are persistent. The sentence structure is often clunky, and the misuse of prepositions and articles is noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of noun phrases. Reviewing basic sentence construction and practicing more complex structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, will help you achieve greater accuracy and variety in your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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