Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11

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 given bar chart provide information about the number of households income at the period from 2007 to 2015 every four years in the US.

Overall, the number of incomes looks steady without any dramatically rose in each year. For the example, at the beginning the incomes looks average, and didnt had very big difference, except $75,000-$99,999. However, at the end, the number of households, didnt significantly changed.

In 2007, the number of households which income were less than $25,000 were 25, and after 10 years bar rose steadily to about 28. However, the number of families in 2015 dropped to over 26. The number of households with income from $25,000 to $49,999, in 2007 were over 26. After some amount of time, the bar rose to about 29 families, and by the end of the period, it decreased to over 27.

At the begining, the number of households which income were from $50,000 to $74,999, were much lesser than other two incomes and had over 20. After 4 years it rose steadily to 22, and after another 4 years it felt to 20 again. In addition, the number of families with an income from $75,000 to $99,999 were the smallest in comparison with other 3 incomes, In 2007 it had over 14 families, and didnt grew until 2015. At the end it increased to about 15. In contrast, the number of households with an income from $100,000 and more, were the highest in comparison with other incomes. In 2007 it had over 29 families, but in 2014 it had decreased to over 27. And in 2015 it dramatically rose to over 34 families.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, including the trends for different income brackets. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, focusing on listing data points rather than synthesising the information to highlight significant trends or clear comparisons. The overview is vague, stating that numbers look 'steady' without clearly identifying the most prominent shifts, such as the growth in the highest income bracket. While the task is addressed, the lack of a clear, analytical focus on the most significant changes limits the score. To improve, focus on grouping data logically and highlighting the most striking differences rather than describing each category in isolation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or slightly unnatural, such as the frequent use of 'In addition' and 'In contrast' to start sentences. Some transitions between sentences feel mechanical, and the logical progression within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition from describing 2007 to 2015 data is sometimes abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the flow and coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There is frequent repetition of basic verbs like 'rose', 'decreased', and 'had'. Phrases such as 'number of incomes' are inaccurate, as the chart shows the number of households by income bracket. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'felt' instead of 'fell'. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'peaked', or 'experienced a marginal decline'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('the given bar chart provide', 'the number of households which income were'), incorrect tense usage, and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from being considered highly accurate. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent tense usage throughout the report would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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