Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-03

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 4.0)

I have examined the graph and it illustrates that in there is an increasing number of the households from year to year. In the year 2007, the most number of households is been acquired by the people with their annual income more than 100 grands. Same is it in the year 2015. That

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response is severely underdeveloped and falls far short of the minimum word requirement of 150 words, stopping abruptly at only 53 words. Because of this extreme brevity, the writer fails to summarize the information adequately or report the main features and comparisons required by the prompt. While there is a minimal attempt to introduce the graph and mention the highest category in 2007, the content is far too limited to satisfy the task. To improve significantly, the student must write a full-length response that systematically covers multiple income brackets across all three years, providing a clear overview and supporting details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The text contains only a few sentences and stops mid-thought with the word 'That', making it impossible to establish any meaningful overall progression or effective paragraphing. Although the opening sentence attempts to introduce the chart, the lack of a cohesive structure and logical development means that ideas are not organized into a coherent whole. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to present ideas in a structured sequence, using appropriate cohesive devices such as linking words and proper referencing to guide the reader through the data smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is basic and limited, featuring awkward phrasing and colloquial expressions such as 'more than 100 grands' instead of formal academic terms. There are noticeable errors in word choice and expression, such as 'most number of households is been acquired', which impede natural communication. The range of vocabulary is inadequate for an academic task. To improve, the student should expand their lexicon with precise, formal academic vocabulary suitable for data description, such as 'income bracket', 'exceed', and 'majority'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, relying on basic patterns accompanied by frequent grammatical errors. There are notable issues with verb forms and passives, as seen in 'is been acquired', as well as unnecessary words like 'in there is an increasing number'. Articles and prepositions are also handled incorrectly at times. To move up to higher bands, the writer must demonstrate a better control of basic grammar, eliminate frequent structural errors, and eventually incorporate a mix of accurate simple and complex sentence forms.

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

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