Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-10
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 bar chart illustrates the number of households in the US by their annual income in 2007,2011 and 2015.
Overall. in 2007 who had annual income more than [redacted phone]$ or more presents the most in households whereas those who had 75000 to 99999$ shows the lowest figure in comparison to other annual income. In 2011, who had annual income of 25000 to 49999$ overtake others in the number of households. In 2015, [redacted phone]$ or more annual income was greater than any of the year.
Those who had annual income [redacted phone]$ or more share the huge number of households with starting from 29 to end at 33 millions. However, 25000 to 49999$ annual income also rose gradually during the time period from 26 to 30 and 28 millions at the end of 2015.
Although, from the beginning 75000 to 99999$ annual income was lower comparatively in number of households in the US.
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 provides an overview and attempts to highlight main features, but the reporting is inconsistent and lacks clarity. While you identify some trends, the description of the data is often inaccurate or confusing. For example, stating that the 100,000+ income group was 'greater than any of the year' is unclear, and the specific figures mentioned (e.g., '29 to end at 33 millions') do not accurately reflect the chart's data. The summary lacks a clear focus on the most significant changes, and the lack of precision in reporting the data points hinders the overall task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as the abrupt start with 'Overall.' and the awkward transition 'Although, from the beginning...'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different income groups and years. The flow between sentences is disjointed, and the lack of clear signposting makes the relationship between the data points difficult to discern.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'shows the lowest figure' and 'share the huge number'. There are issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'presents the most in households' and 'overtake others in the number of households'. To improve, you should aim for more precise terminology when describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant increase'. The current range is just enough to communicate basic ideas but lacks the flexibility required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('those who had... shows the lowest figure'), incorrect sentence structure ('Overall. in 2007 who had...'), and awkward phrasing ('100000$ or more annual income was greater than any of the year'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas and the use of the dollar sign. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, and the majority of sentences contain errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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