Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
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 others 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 categories had comparatively low 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 figure, 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 was approximately 14 million in 2007, before falling to roughly 13 million in 2011 and then rising to exactly 15 million.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student covers all major parts of the prompt by selecting key income categories from the chart across the three specified years (2007, 2011, and 2015). An overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing general variation and stability. However, some of the data points reported contain inaccuracies when cross-referenced with the visual data. For instance, the student states that the $25,000–$49,999 category recorded the highest figure at just over 30 million in 2011, whereas the $100,000 or more and other categories had different actual values. Despite these minor data discrepancies, the main trends are adequately reported, fulfilling the core requirements of Task 1.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically into four distinct paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific data points. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as "Thereafter", "Furthermore", and "On the other hand". However, the progression within the final paragraph feels slightly disjointed, and referencing can occasionally be vague (e.g., "while the previous categories had comparatively low figures"). Paragraphing is functional, ensuring a clear overall structure.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with appropriate attempts at less common phrasing such as "comparatively stable", "rose to approximately", and "increased significantly". However, there are some imprecise expressions and minor inaccuracies in word choice or collocation, such as stating a category recorded "comparatively the lowest figure" when multiple categories fluctuate. Spelling and word forms are generally accurate, and communication is never impeded.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time markers effectively (e.g., "The bar chart illustrates changes in the number of households..." and "before falling to roughly 13 million..."). Grammatical control is generally good, with many error-free sentences, though occasional minor issues with prepositional phrases or tense consistency appear. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, supporting overall clarity.
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