Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-01

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 6.5)

The bar chart illustrates the number of households in the United States by five annual income groups in 2007,2011 and 2015.

Overall, the number of household earning $100,000 or more increased considerably by 2015, becoming the largest income group. In contrast, the figures for households earning $50,000-$74,999 and $75,000-$99,999 remained relatively stable throughout the years.

In 2007, approximately 25 million, households earned less than $25,000, while around 27 million were in the $25,000-$49,999 bracket. The figures for $50,000-$74,999 and $75,000–$99,999 were about 21 million and 14 million, respectively. Meanwhile, nearly 29 million households earned $100,000 or more.

By 2011, the two lowest income groups had increased to around 29 million and 30 million, respectively. The $50,000-$74,999 group remained at nearly 21 million, while the $75,000-$99,999 category fell slightly to approximately 13 million. By contrast, the highest-income group declined marginally to 28 million.

In 2015, households earning $100,000 or more rose sharply to about 33 million, whereas the two lowest groups fell marginally to 23 million and 27 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the chart across the three specified years and making relevant comparisons. You successfully identify the highest income group as the largest by 2015 and note the stability of the middle brackets. However, some aspects are unevenly developed or contain minor inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the figure stated for the lowest income group in 2015 does not fully align with the visual data, and certain trends are presented without sufficient extension. To move to a higher level, you should ensure all reported figures closely match the visual source and provide deeper comparisons between the categories rather than listing data points sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

Your response demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout the text. The writing begins with an effective introductory statement followed by a well-chosen overview. Information and data are logically sequenced chronologically across the years, allowing the reader to follow the trends easily. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'By contrast' are used appropriately to signal shifts and comparisons between different income brackets. Paragraphing is managed effectively, with distinct paragraphs dedicated to the introduction, overview, and specific yearly data. To achieve an even higher band, you could aim for even more seamless transitions and avoid any mechanical reliance on time markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for this academic task, incorporating terms such as 'illustrates', 'considerably', 'relatively stable', and 'fluctuated'. There are successful attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'bracket' and 'categorize'. However, occasional minor slips occur, such as the grammatical slip in 'the number of household earning' instead of 'households', and some vocabulary choices remain standard rather than sophisticated. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the response. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate a wider and more flexible range of lexical items with greater precision in collocation and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You display a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with frequent error-free sentences demonstrating solid control of grammar and punctuation. Structures such as 'while around 27 million were in the $25,000-$49,999 bracket' show your ability to handle subordination well. While there are a few minor errors—such as a missing plural in 'the number of household earning' and a punctuation comma splice in the opening sentence ('2007,2011')—these errors do not impede communication. To push into higher bands, you should increase the proportion of complex structures used consistently without error and refine your punctuation around dates and lists.

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

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