Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-29

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 7.5)

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

Overall, the number of households earning $100,000 or more increased substantially over the period, while the figures for the other income groups changed relatively little. The $25,000–$49,999 category had the largest number of households in 2007 and 2011, whereas by 2015 the $100,000+ group was clearly the largest.

In 2007, approximately 25 million households earned less than $25,000 annually, compared with around 27 million in the $25,000–$49,999 category. The figures for households earning $50,000–$74,999 and $75,000–$99,999 were considerably lower, at about 21 million and 14–15 million, respectively. In contrast, the highest-income group contained roughly 29–30 million households.

By 2011, the number of households earning less than $25,000 had risen to approximately 29 million, while the $25,000–$49,999 group reached about 30 million. The figures for the $50,000–$74,999 and $75,000–$99,999 categories remained almost unchanged, at around 21 million and 14 million. Meanwhile, the $100,000+ category fell slightly to approximately 28 million.

In 2015, the number of households in the two lowest income categories was around 28 million and 29 million, respectively. The $50,000–$74,999 group remained stable at about 21 million, while the $75,000–$99,999 category increased slightly to 15 million. Most notably, households earning $100,000 or more rose sharply to approximately 33 million, making this the largest category in that year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by providing a clear and comprehensive summary of the visual data. The response features a well-crafted overall statement that highlights the main trends, specifically the significant increase in households earning $100,000 or more versus the relative stability of other income brackets. Key features and figures from 2007, 2011, and 2015 are accurately selected and reported without any noticeable misinterpretation of the underlying chart. Comparisons between different income groups are made effectively throughout the body paragraphs, meeting all criteria for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The text demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression from the introduction through the overview to the detailed body paragraphs. Information is arranged chronologically and grouped logically by year. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'Most notably' are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used skillfully, with each paragraph serving a distinct and clear function in the overall report structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student employs a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary relevant to describing statistical data and trends, such as 'substantially', 'fluctuated', 'stable', and 'rose sharply'. Word choices are precise, and collocation is generally natural (e.g., 'annual income categories', 'highest-income group'). There are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors, and the lexical range is well-suited to academic reporting, demonstrating good flexibility and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures, including participial clauses and comparative structures (e.g., 'while the figures for the other income groups changed relatively little', 'making this the largest category in that year'). The majority of sentences are completely error-free, and grammatical control is consistently strong throughout. Punctuation is handled accurately, supporting the clear flow of complex information without impeding comprehension at any point.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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