Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-07
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 provided chart illustrates changes in the number of households in the US by their annual income over a 4 year period between 2007 and 2011. The unit measured in millions.
Overall, it is evident that the number of US households had steadily increased throughout a 4 year duration. For instance, the number of US households who used to earn $100,000 or more in 2007 had been increased to approximately 32 millions of households in 2015, hence, the figure was recorded a little downward trend in 2011. Likewise, the annual income less than 25,000 dollars demonstrated compelling surge to around 28 millions of US households in 2011, experienced a minor fluctuation in after following 4 years. Conversely, the annual income of households who gained $75,000~$99,999 had been showed the similar number of households like 15 millions. Additionally, the number of US households who earned minimum 50,000 dollars to maximum $74,999 transformed same amount of households in 4 years between 2007 and 2011.
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 covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is hindered by significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state the period is 4 years, but the chart covers 2007 to 2015 (8 years). Furthermore, the description of trends is often confusing or contradictory, such as claiming a 'downward trend' for the highest income bracket while simultaneously mentioning an increase to 32 million. The summary of the data is not sufficiently clear, and the misinterpretation of the time frame and specific figures prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference the axes and labels before writing.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into an introduction and a body paragraph, but the progression of ideas is disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'For instance', and 'Conversely', their usage is sometimes mechanical or logically misplaced. The transition between describing different income brackets is abrupt, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison. Paragraphing is present, but the body of the text would benefit from being split into two distinct paragraphs to separate the different trends more effectively. Improving the logical flow between sentences will help the reader navigate your analysis more easily.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use some relevant terms like 'fluctuation' and 'compelling surge', but there are also awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'recorded a little downward trend' and 'transformed same amount of households'. Some phrasing is repetitive or unnatural, which limits the range. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise reporting verbs and nouns that accurately describe statistical changes, such as 'experienced a marginal decline' or 'remained relatively stable'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'The unit measured in millions' (missing verb), 'had been increased' (incorrect passive voice), and 'in after following 4 years' (redundant phrasing). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are also problematic throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focusing on consistent verb tenses and correct prepositional usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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