Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-17

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 7.5)

The bar chart illustrates the number of households in the United States, measured in millions, across five annual income categories in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, households earning $100,000 or more experienced the most noticeable growth and became the largest income group by 2015. In contrast, the number of households earning $75,000–$99,999 remained the lowest throughout the period. The other income categories showed relatively modest changes.

In 2007, approximately 25 million households earned less than $25,000, while around 27 million were in the $25,000–$49,999 category. The figure for households earning $50,000–$74,999 was considerably lower, at about 21 million. Meanwhile, only around 14 million households earned between $75,000 and $99,999. The highest-income group accounted for approximately 29 million households.

By 2011, the number of households earning less than $25,000 had risen to roughly 29 million, while the $25,000–$49,999 group reached about 30 million. The two middle-income categories remained fairly stable, at approximately 21 million and 14 million, respectively. By 2015, the highest-income group had increased significantly to around 33 million, making it the largest category. The $25,000–$49,999 group decreased slightly to about 29 million, whereas the remaining categories changed only marginally.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear overview and highlighting key trends and comparisons from the chart. Main features, such as the growth in the highest-income group ($100,000 or more) and the relative stability of middle-income categories, are accurately selected and reported. Data points are appropriately cited, such as 'approximately 25 million households' and 'around 33 million,' aligning closely with the visual data. The response meets all requirements for Task Achievement at a high level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear overall progression. The information is divided into logical paragraphs: an introduction, an overview paragraph summarizing the main trends, and detailed body paragraphs breaking down the data by year. Cohesive devices are used effectively and without being overly mechanical, such as 'In contrast,' 'Meanwhile,' and 'By 2011.' Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the reader can easily follow the comparison of data across the different income brackets.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to describing statistical data. Phrases such as 'most noticeable growth,' 'relatively modest changes,' and 'changed only marginally' show a good awareness of style and collocation. Word choices are generally accurate and appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, though occasional use of slightly more sophisticated phrasing could elevate the response further. There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response exhibits a good variety of complex sentence structures, including participial phrases and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'households earning $100,000 or more experienced the most noticeable growth and became...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and the student demonstrates good control of grammar and punctuation throughout. Complex structures are handled with accuracy, and there are no systematic errors that cause difficulty for the reader, fully supporting a high band score.

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