Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-28
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)
It is very difficult task for me to summarize this chart as I'm unable to understand this chart but I'll do my best
The given bar graph compares the house holds by their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
In 2007, 25 million households had annual income less than 25,000 dollars, 24 million people were earning about 25,000 to 49,999, twenty million households were getting 50 thousand to 75 thousand dollars annually.About 30 million households had more than 100,000 annually.
In 2011 and 2015, there was excessive change in annual income of households but in 2011 and 2015 there were 33 million households earning 75,000 to 99,999 and more than [redacted phone] dollars respectively.
There are no abrupt changes in annual income of households
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the chart, mentioning categories such as '25 million households had annual income less than 25,000 dollars'. However, there are notable inaccuracies in the data cited (e.g., stating 24 million instead of 27 million for the second income bracket in 2007, and confused figures for 2011 and 2015). Furthermore, the overview is contradictory or vague ('There are no abrupt changes' followed by mentions of 'excessive change'). Additionally, the response falls well below the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 124 words, which incurs a penalty.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response features an introductory meta-statement ('It is very difficult task for me...') which is inappropriate for an academic essay. Paragraphing is weak, with several short, disconnected sentences lumped together. Cohesive devices are minimal and mechanical, and referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'respectively' used incorrectly in the third paragraph). There is a lack of clear overall progression, though the reader can broadly follow that the writer is attempting to discuss different years and income brackets.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, heavily relying on the words provided in the prompt ('households', 'annual income', 'dollars'). There are lexical inaccuracies such as 'house holds' (written as two words) and unnatural phrasing like 'excessive change'. The range of vocabulary is limited and minimally adequate for communicating basic data points, but it lacks the precision and flexibility expected at higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and emerging complex structures, but grammatical control is inconsistent. There are several structural and punctuation issues, such as missing articles ('It is very difficult task'), comma splices, and run-on phrasing ('...annual income of households but in 2011 and 2015 there were...'). While meaning is generally retrievable despite these errors, frequent grammatical lapses prevent the score from reaching a Band 6.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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