Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-08

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 5.0)

The graph illustrates that the proportion of households in the United State by their yearly economic from 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, it is clear that the proportion of households yearly economic increased in 2015, while the percentage is approximately the same as between 2007 and 2011.

Looking first at the proportion of households in the US by their annual income in 2007. First of all, the 30 millions households have their yearly income 100,000 US dollars or more and the other 25 millions have their annual income 25,000 to 49,999 US dollars and less than 25,000 dollars. And 20 millions have their yearly income 50,000 to 74,999 US dollars and the other 15 millions the proportion of households have their yearly income 75,000 to 99,999 US dollars.

In contrast the proportion of households by their yearly economic in 2011 has approximately the same as the 2007. The figure increased slightly the proportion of 30 millions have their income 25,000 to 49,999 dollars and less than 25,000 Us dollars. And the proportion of 27 millions has their income 100,000 dollars. And the other hand in 2015 the figure increased marginally the proportion of 30 millions plus 100,000 dollars and the other proportion remained stable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and include figures for all three years, so the response is relevant. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: the chart shows numbers of households, not proportions or percentages, and the highest-income group rises notably in 2015 rather than the overall income figures simply increasing. Several details are misreported: in 2007, the $25,000–$49,999 group is about 27 million, not 25 million, while the $50,000–$74,999 group is about 21 million, not 20 million. In 2015, the $100,000-or-more group reaches about 33.5 million, not 30 million. Select the main trends accurately and compare the categories using the chart’s units.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has separate paragraphs and attempts to organise information by year, with signals such as “Overall,” “Looking first,” and “In contrast.” These give the reader some sense of structure. However, progression is difficult to follow because the overview does not clearly state the main comparisons, and the body moves through figures in a list-like way rather than grouping related trends. The 2011 and 2015 discussion is especially hard to interpret, as “the figure increased slightly” does not specify which category is meant. Some linking phrases are also used inaccurately, such as “And the other hand.” A clearer overview followed by paragraphs comparing income groups across years would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “increased slightly,” “remained stable,” and “annual income,” and the income bands are generally identifiable. However, the range is limited and several repeated or inaccurate expressions make the report less precise. “Proportion” and “percentage” are used repeatedly even though the chart reports numbers of households; “yearly economic” is also not a natural way to describe income. Phrases such as “30 millions households” and “the figure increased marginally the proportion” show difficulty with appropriate word forms and collocation. Use the chart’s key terms consistently—“number of households” and “income band”—and choose verbs such as “rose,” “fell,” or “remained stable” for specific categories.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentence forms, and the reader can usually identify the intended categories and years. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in longer sentences. For example, “the proportion of households yearly economic increased” has an unclear grammatical structure, while “the figure increased slightly the proportion of 30 millions have their income” combines clauses without a clear subject–verb relationship. There are also recurring errors in articles, agreement, and number forms, as in “the 30 millions households” and “the other 25 millions.” Sentence fragments occur after “Looking first at…” and “In contrast…”. Build shorter, complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, then check agreement and plural forms.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.