Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-20

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 illustration gives information about number of households based on their annual income from three different years, in 2007,2011 and 2015. Overall, in 2007 and 2015, the highest household people from uper-class, but in 2011, it was lower than in the lower and middle classes.

It is quite evident from the chart that there were five different categories of people based on income from 25 thousand dollars to one hundred thousand dollars or more. The number of people in the high-income category between 50 and 75 thousand dollars was mostly at the same level, with more than 25 million households in all three years. The people in the upper-middle class, earning between 75 and 100 thousand dollars, did not change significantly throughout the years.

Furthermore, the number of lower-class individuals rose from just over 25 million to just under 30 million between 2007 and 2011, then slightly decreased to around 27 million in 2015. A similar pattern was observed for the lower-middle class, with an increase between 2007 and 2011 followed by a decrease to 2015, fluctuating near 27 million households.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student attempts to provide an overview and summarize the main features of the chart, but there are notable inaccuracies in the data interpretation. For example, the student states that the high-income category ($50k–$74k) was 'more than 25 million households in all three years,' whereas the chart clearly shows it remained steady at 21 million. Furthermore, the overview contains a confusing and grammatically flawed statement about upper-class and lower-class households in 2011. While some trends are correctly identified, such as the rise and fall of the lower-income groups, the presence of factual errors and misread figures prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The task is addressed, but key features are not fully or accurately developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is divided into three paragraphs, starting with a brief introduction and overview, followed by two body paragraphs. There is a basic logical progression from general categories to specific income brackets. However, the cohesion is sometimes awkward or mechanical, as seen in the transition 'Furthermore,' which introduces information somewhat abruptly. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall structure lacks smooth linking between sentences. Paragraphing is present but the organization within the introduction and overview is muddled by grammatical issues. Overall, the arrangement provides a coherent framework, but cohesive devices and logical transitions need better control.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts to employ income-related terminology such as 'lower-class,' 'upper-middle class,' and 'households.' However, there are notable lexical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'highest household people from uper-class' (with a spelling error in 'uper-class') and 'people in the high-income category between 50 and 75 thousand dollars.' The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic descriptive terms. Less common lexical items are attempted but often misapplied or imprecise, which occasionally causes strain for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The number of lower-class individuals rose from just over 25 million to just under 30 million...'. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors including missing articles, incorrect prepositions, and structural flaws (e.g., 'the highest household people from uper-class, but in 2011, it was lower than in the lower and middle classes'). These errors sometimes impede communication and make the reading disjointed. Complex structures are often faulty, placing the response firmly in the mid-band range for grammatical control.

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

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