Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The bar chart illustrates changes in the number of households in the US across five annual income categories in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Overall, it is evident that the figures varied considerably across the categories, with some categories recording higher figures, while another registered the lowest figure. Some remained comparatively stable over the given period.
Looking at the details, the number of households earning less than $25,000 stood at precisely 25 million in 2007. Thereafter, in 2011, this category rose to approximately 28 million, after which it fell to just under 26 million in 2015. Furthermore, in 2015, the number of households earning $100,000 or more increased significantly to slightly above 33 million, while the previous had categories comparatively lowest figures. Moreover, the number of households earning $50,000-$74,999 remained relatively stable at exactly 21 million over the given period.
Looking most closely at the data, in 2011, the number of households earning $25,000-$49,999 recorded the highest category, at just over 30 million. On the other hand, in 2007 and 2015 this category recorded comparatively the lowest figure. Subsequently, the number of households earning $ 75,000-$99,999 to approximately 14 million in 2007, before downwards roughly 13 million in 2011 and then rose to exactly 15 million.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student attempts to address all parts of the prompt by describing the main features of the chart across the three specified years. An overview is present, highlighting that figures varied across categories while some remained stable. However, there are notable flaws in data reporting and comparison. For instance, the student states that households earning $25,000–$49,999 recorded the highest category at just over 30 million in 2011, which misinterprets the chart where the highest group in 2011 and overall is actually the $100,000 or more bracket (reaching 33.5 million in 2015). Furthermore, several figures are slightly inaccurate compared to the visual data, and the progression of ideas becomes muddled in the final paragraph, preventing the response from reaching a higher band level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical introduction, overview, and detail structure. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions between ideas, such as "Overall, it is evident", "Looking at the details", and "On the other hand". However, referencing and cohesion become somewhat faulty and mechanical in the latter part of the text, particularly in the final paragraph where phrases like "before downwards roughly 13 million" lack necessary verbs and structural coherence. Paragraphing is adequate, but the progression within paragraphs occasionally stumbles due to awkward phrasing.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as "comparatively stable", "fluctuated", and "increased significantly". However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as calling a bracket the "highest category" instead of the highest number of households, and phrasing errors like "while the previous had categories comparatively lowest figures". Spelling is generally accurate, but limitations in word choice and collocation restrict the score to a solid band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including clauses of time and contrast. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward syntactic structures, particularly in the final sentence: "Subsequently, the number of households earning $ 75,000-$99,999 to approximately 14 million in 2007, before downwards roughly 13 million in 2011 and then rose to exactly 15 million," which lacks a main verb and contains a faulty prepositional phrase ("before downwards"). While these errors do not completely obscure the intended meaning, they impede smooth reading and demonstrate inconsistent control over complex forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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