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 Chart illustrates that the number of households and their annual income in US in the years 2007 ,2011 and 2015.

Overall, the noticeable feature is that the maximum number of annual income of households is $100,000 or more was 25 millions in 2015. Whereas, the minimum number of annual income of households is $75,000-$99,999 was around 15 millions in 2011.

In detail, the annual income of households showed variations which were less than $25,000 was 25 millions, $25,000-$49,999 was around 25millions, $50,000-$74,999 was 20 millions, %75,000-$99,999 was approximately 15 millions and $100,000 or more was approximately 30 millions in year 2007.

However, the annual households income showed change which was less than $25,000 was around 30 millions, $25,000-$49,999 was 30 millions, $50,000-$74,999 was around 20 millions, $75,000-$99,999 was around 15 millions and $100,000 or more was approximately 25 millions in year 2011.

Subsequently, the number of annual income in year 2015 showed fluctuation which was was around 25 millions, 25 millions, 20 millions, 15 millions and around 30 millions for less than $25,000 , $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999 and $100,000 or more respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart and provides data for all three years. However, the overview is somewhat weak, as it focuses on specific data points rather than identifying broader trends or significant shifts. The description of the data is largely a list of figures, which lacks the analytical synthesis required for a higher band. While all categories are mentioned, the lack of clear comparison between the years makes the report feel like a collection of isolated facts rather than a cohesive summary of the provided information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., starting sentences with 'In detail', 'However', and 'Subsequently'). The progression of ideas is clear, but the transition between the years could be smoother. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the list of figures is presented without sufficient context to link them back to the specific income brackets effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a heavy reliance on basic phrasing such as 'the number of' and 'was around'. The student attempts to describe trends using words like 'fluctuation' and 'variations', but these are not always used accurately in context. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'maximum number of annual income', which is logically imprecise. To improve, the student should incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and varied reporting verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect article usage, missing prepositions, and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'the number of annual income in year 2015 showed fluctuation which was was around 25 millions'). There are also punctuation errors, such as inconsistent spacing after commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the overall accuracy score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and sentence structure is needed.

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

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