Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-21

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 7.0)

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

Overall, the number of households earning less than $25,000 and those earning $100,000 or more showed notable changes over the period. In contrast, the figures for the middle-income groups remained relatively stable.

In 2007, around 25 million households earned less than $25,000, while approximately 27 million earned between $25,000 and $49,999. The figures for the $50,000–$74,999 and $75,000–$99,999 groups were lower, at about 21 million and 14 million respectively. Households earning $100,000 or more accounted for roughly 29 million.

By 2011, the number in the lowest-income group had increased to about 28 million, while the $25,000–$49,999 category reached approximately 29 million. The two next groups remained almost unchanged. By 2015, the most significant increase was seen among households earning $100,000 or more, rising to around 32 million, while the other categories showed only minor changes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the main features and making appropriate comparisons across the three years. The overview correctly identifies the primary trends, noting the notable changes in the lowest and highest income groups alongside the stability of the middle brackets. Key data points, such as 25 million households in 2007 for the under-$25k category and 33.5 million for the top bracket in 2015, are accurately reported and referenced against the visual data. The response is well-structured and covers all categories adequately without missing significant information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow. Ideas are structured logically from an introduction and overview into detailed body paragraphs that break down the data by year and income category. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'By 2011' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in developing the response. Referencing throughout the text is clear and unambiguous.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to academic report writing, successfully employing terms like 'notable changes', 'remained relatively stable', and 'accounted for'. Less common lexical items are used with some awareness of style and collocation, such as 'lowest-income group' and 'significant increase'. Word choices are generally accurate and appropriate for describing statistical trends, allowing the message to be communicated with precision. Minor slips in exact figures do not detract from the overall lexical adequacy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The text displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, featuring subordinate clauses and participial phrases such as 'while the $25,000–$49,999 category reached approximately 29 million'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is well maintained throughout the response. Punctuation is used correctly to separate clauses and list items. While the variety of complex structures is somewhat standard for Task 1, the high level of accuracy supports clear and precise communication.

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