Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-25
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 household in the United States America by their annual income between 2007,2011 and 2015.
Overall, it is clearly seen that $100,000 or more was greatest in all three years, while the figure of $75,000-$99,999 was the lowest throughout the periods,
Looking at the details, in 2007 the annual earning less than $25,000 started from 25 million in 2007 and gradually increased to around 27 million in $25,000-$49000, in contrast it gradually decreased to reach at about 14 million in $50,000-$74,999, before reached at approximately 29 million in $100,000 or more.
By 2011 less than $25,000 stood at about 28 million. Moreover it declined steadily to 27 in 2015. However the $25,000-$49,999 in 2011 was 30 million and then fell gradually to reach at around 29 in 2015. Although the earning $50,000-$74,999 in 2011 and 2015 both years unchanged at minimum 21 millions. And final the $100,000 or more in 2011 it is about 27 and then climbed significantly to reach at around 34 million and it is peak.
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 summarizing the main features of the US household income chart across the three specified years. An overview is provided, noting that households earning $100,000 or more were the greatest in number overall. However, there are notable confusions and misinterpretations in reading the chart's data categories. For instance, the text mixes up income brackets with numerical values in the body paragraphs, stating that 'the annual earning less than $25,000 started from 25 million in 2007... in $25,000-$49000', which reflects a misunderstanding of how the data should be reported. While some accurate figures are mentioned, such as the 21 million constant for the middle income bracket, the overall selection and reporting of data lack clarity and precision, aligning closely with a Band 5 performance.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The essay attempts a standard structure with an introduction and body paragraphs. However, the progression of ideas is frequently disrupted by awkward referencing and mechanical cohesive devices. Phrases like 'Looking at the details' and 'By 2011' are used, but the internal logical flow within paragraphs breaks down due to confusing sentence construction and grammatical errors. Paragraphing is attempted, but sentences often run together or fail to connect logically to the preceding statements, making the overall arrangement difficult to follow at times. Cohesive devices are sometimes inaccurate or overused, limiting the text to a Band 5 level.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a limited and minimally adequate vocabulary range for discussing statistical data. Basic verbs of change are attempted, such as 'increased', 'decreased', 'declined', and 'climbed'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'number of household', 'earning' instead of 'households earning', and referring to income brackets as numerical values. Repetition of basic structures is evident, and vocabulary is restricted to simple terms, causing some difficulty for the reader when trying to decipher the intended meaning. This performance is characteristic of Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer uses a limited range of sentence structures, attempting some complex forms which are frequently faulty. There are numerous grammatical errors throughout the response, including missing plural forms ('number of household', '21 millions'), preposition errors, and awkward phrasing ('before reached at', 'And final the $100,000 or more in 2011 it is about 27'). Punctuation errors are also present, such as missing spaces after commas. These frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader and impede smooth communication, placing the grammatical control squarely at Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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