Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-13

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 US during the tenure of three different time frames starting from 2007 with four years gap till 2015.

There have been rise in households by US citizens 2015 in all income brackets with highest 33 millions to 15 millions that face a fall during other time periods.

In [redacted phone] dollars bracket was at almost 30 million households alongwith lowest bracket was of 75000 dollars which face a mild decline in period of 2011 with 32 million highest and 14 million lowest during that period.

2015 have a rise in all income brackets marking 33 million US households and lowest 15 million households that remained highest during this period.

In conclusion with the passage of time the US households have a tremendous increase as compared to other time frames that had some extent of changes toward the lower limits

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarize the information in the chart, noting years and general trends such as the rise in households in 2015. However, the task is only partially addressed due to significant issues with data interpretation and clarity. The numbers and brackets cited (e.g., 'highest 33 millions to 15 millions') are confusingly presented and do not accurately or clearly report the main features or comparisons of the US household income distribution. Furthermore, the response is 148 words long, failing to meet the minimum 150-word requirement, which necessitates a minor penalty under Task Achievement. While the general subject is identified, the lack of precision and under-development of supporting data place this at Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay displays some basic organization with an introductory sentence and a concluding remark, but there is a distinct lack of clear overall progression. The relationship between sentences and ideas is often disjointed, making the text difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are used minimally or inaccurately, such as the awkward transition 'alongwith lowest bracket was of 75000 dollars'. Paragraphing is also poorly managed, with the body of the response clumped together without clear thematic division. Referencing is frequently unclear, requiring the reader to guess the intended connections between income brackets and years. These limitations in logical sequencing and cohesive control align with Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student uses a limited and repetitive range of vocabulary that is only minimally adequate for the task. Phrases such as 'tenure of three different time frames' and 'face a mild decline' demonstrate an attempt to use less common lexical items, but these are often used with incorrect collocation or awkward phrasing. There are also noticeable word choice errors and imprecise terminology when discussing statistical data (e.g., 'rise in households by US citizens 2015'). While simple terms are mostly understood, the overall lexical control causes difficulty for the reader, fitting the descriptors for Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

Grammatically, the response relies on a very limited range of structures, and attempts at more complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are persistent errors in basic grammar, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions throughout the text, such as 'There have been rise in households' and 'face a fall during other time periods'. Punctuation is also weak, with run-on sentences lacking appropriate commas or conjunctions to clarify meaning. Although some simple sentences are comprehensible, the frequency of grammatical errors causes constant strain for the reader, justifying a band score of 4.5.

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

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