Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-15
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)
This bar graph illustrates the figure of households in the united states by their income per annum in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, it can be seen that according to selected years, their annual income has been given. A part of that, number of houholds(millions) was giving on other side.
To commence with the year 2007, 29.5 millions households earned $100,000 or more. this figure diclined around 27 million in 2011, before rising significantly at nearly 33 million in 2015. Similarly, households earning under $25,000 grew at $25 million in 2007 to nearly 29 million in 2011 and it was stabled at around 27.5 million by 2015.
Furthermore, the $25,000-$49,999 fluctuated slightly. Starting at 27 million in 2007, reaching nearly 30 million in 2011 and ended at 28 million in 2015. Surprisingly, the $50,000-$74,000 income remained in every year. Finally, the $75,000-$99,999 had minor changes. It remained between 14 million to 15 million houholds throughout the years.
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 student attempts to address the task by reporting several data points from the chart, such as the highest income bracket figures in 2007, 2011, and 2015. However, the overview paragraph fails to summarize the main trends effectively, offering instead a confusing statement about how the annual income has been given. Furthermore, there are several inaccuracies in the data reported, such as stating that households earning under $25,000 grew at '$25 million' in 2007, and stating that the $50,000-$74,000 income 'remained in every year' without giving clear figures. While some key features are highlighted, the response lacks a fully developed overview and contains multiple reporting inaccuracies, placing it within the Band 5.0 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, attempting a traditional Academic Task 1 structure with an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. However, the progression is disrupted by weak referencing and inadequate cohesive devices. The second paragraph (the overview) is poorly constructed and fails to logically connect the parts of the prompt. Cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or misused, as seen in transitions like 'To commence with' and 'Furthermore'. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within paragraphs suffers from abrupt shifts and repetitive structures. This overall level aligns best with Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical resource is limited and repetitive, demonstrating basic vocabulary associated with data description. The student relies heavily on simple verbs like 'earned', 'grew', 'reached', and 'ended'. There are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'figure of households' instead of 'number of households', 'diclined' (misspelling of declined), and stating that a category 'grew at $25 million' instead of 'stood at 25 million'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success and accuracy. These persistent lexical errors and restricted range justify a Band 5.0 score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'number of houholds(millions) was giving on other side', 'this figure diclined around 27 million', and 'it was stabled at around'. Punctuation errors are also present, including missing capitalisation at the beginning of sentences (e.g., 'this figure diclined'). While some sentences are understandable, the frequency of grammatical and mechanical errors impedes overall fluency and places the performance at a Band 5.0 level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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