Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-07

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 graph provided displays information about the number of houses in the United States based on their annual earnings in the years, 2007, 2011, and 2015. At a glance it is clear that the number of houses with an income of 50,000 dollars to 74,999 dollars remained the same.

Firstly, households with an income of less than 25k dollars increased from 25 million in 2007 to around 28 million in 2011, but later, the numbers fell back to approximately 25 million. Next, the number of people earning in the range of 25k to around 49k dollars rose in 2011, to around 30 million, followed by a decline to 28 million in 2015.

On the other hand, those having an annual income of 50k to almost 75k dollars remained stable from 2007 to 2015, at around 21 million. Initially, houses with an income of 75k to 99,999 dollars decreased slightly from around 14 million to 13 million, however by 2015, it managed to reach 15 million. Lastly, households earning above 100,000 dollars increased to around 34 million in 2015 from 29 million in 2007, with a dip in its numbers to nearly 26 million in 2011.

To conclude, in a span of 8 years, every income range experienced a fall in 2011, followed by a considerable increase in 2015, except those earning 50k to approximately 75k dollars.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover all five income groups and report several key figures accurately, including the stable $50,000–$74,999 category and the rise in households earning at least $100,000 by 2015. The overview, however, focuses only on the unchanged middle-income group rather than identifying the broader pattern: the highest-income group was largest in 2007 and 2015, while the two lowest brackets peaked in 2011. There are also some inaccuracies: the under-$25,000 figure in 2015 was about 28 million, not 25 million, and the $75,000–$99,999 group fell only slightly to about 14 million in 2011, not 13 million. Your conclusion overgeneralises by saying every other group fell in 2011 and increased in 2015; the $50,000–$74,999 group was stable throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, two paragraphs covering the income categories, and a concluding statement. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Next,” “On the other hand,” and “Lastly” help readers follow the comparisons. However, the overview is too narrow, and the final “To conclude” repeats a broad trend that is not accurate for every category, weakening the progression of the report. Some transitions also feel mechanical, and “On the other hand” suggests a contrast that is not especially clear between the groups being discussed. Grouping the categories by their trends—for example, those that peaked in 2011 versus those that were stable or rose by 2015—would make the comparisons more purposeful and cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “remained stable,” “increased,” “decline,” and “approximately,” and the income brackets are generally easy to understand. There is some flexibility in how you describe movement, but several choices are imprecise or informal for an academic chart report. “Houses” is used where “households” is required, while “people earning” does not accurately describe a chart counting households. Abbreviations such as “25k” and “49k” are less suitable in formal reporting, and “managed to reach” gives a value change an unnecessary sense of effort. More consistent use of precise terms such as “households,” “income bracket,” and “stood at” would improve accuracy and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You demonstrate a useful mix of simple and complex sentence forms, and many sentences are controlled, such as “those having an annual income of 50k to almost 75k dollars remained stable from 2007 to 2015.” Subordinate clauses and time contrasts are generally handled clearly. A few grammatical and punctuation issues remain. In the opening, the comma in “in the years, 2007, 2011, and 2015” is unnecessary; “in the years 2007, 2011 and 2015” is smoother. The sentence beginning “Initially, houses…” joins two independent clauses with “however” after a comma; use a full stop or a semicolon before “however.” Also, “it managed to reach” has an unclear singular reference, since the subject is the plural “households.” These do not prevent understanding, but more consistent control would strengthen the report.

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