Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-02

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 graph illustrates the number of households by their annual income in the US including the year 2007, 2011 and 2015. Overall it can be seen that the highest number of households in the year 2007 and 2015 whose annual income is $100,000 or more. In contrast, the lowest numbers recorded by the the group of people whose income was $75,000-$99,999 in all three years.

The households annual income was less than $25,000 were recoded 25 million and it increased to arround 29 million which slight decreased to arround 27 million in the year 2007,2011 and 2015 respectively. Whereas the income $25,000-$49,999 were slightly increased as compared to the figuers less than $25,000 in all three years. The lowest number of household which is arround 15 million through the period and their income was $75,000-$99,999. The annual income of households $100,000 or more had the 30 million in 2007 which dropped to 27 million in 2011, while tin he year 2015 expirenced significant rise about 32million households.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to cover the main features of the chart, providing a general overview and citing several figures from the years 2007, 2011, and 2015. However, the task is addressed only partially because some of the data points reported contain inaccuracies when compared against the visual data. For example, the highest income bracket in 2007 was actually comparable to or slightly lower than the lowest income bracket, rather than clearly standing out as suggested, and the phrasing around the trends is sometimes confused. Furthermore, the selection of data lacks clear prioritisation, resulting in under-developed comparisons that do not fully explore all key features, such as the stable middle-income categories. To reach the next level, the writer needs to ensure greater accuracy in data reporting and provide a more balanced overview of all significant trends and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic logical organisation to the response, with an introductory paragraph, an overview sentence, and a body paragraph that attempts to group the data. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the arrangement of ideas feels somewhat disjointed. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately, such as the repetitive use of 'respectively' and confusing transition words like 'Whereas' and 'while tin he year'. Paragraphing is also poorly managed, as the second body paragraph is overcrowded with multiple distinct data streams running into one another without adequate separation or clear referencing. To improve, the writer should structure the response into logically distinct paragraphs for different categories or trends and use cohesive devices more naturally to guide the reader smoothly through the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic information about the chart. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to trends, such as 'significant rise' and 'slight decreased', but these attempts are marred by word-form errors like spelling mistakes ('recoded', 'arround', 'expirenced') and awkward collocations. Noticeable errors in word choice and morphology can cause some difficulty for the reader in grasping the exact meaning. To achieve a higher score, the writer must expand their lexical repertoire, learn correct word forms, and pay closer attention to spelling and precise vocabulary for describing statistical changes, such as nouns and adjectives like 'slight decrease' rather than 'slight decreased'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic coordination. Attempts at more complex structures frequently result in faulty grammar and awkward phrasing, such as in the clause 'whose annual income is $100,000 or more' or 'The households annual income was less than $25,000 were recoded'. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, prepositions, and missing articles, which often cause difficulty for the reader and obscure the meaning of the sentences. To progress, the writer needs to develop better control over basic sentence construction, avoid run-on clauses, and practice forming accurate complex sentences with correct relative pronouns and prepositional phrases.

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