Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-09

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 chart illustrates the number of householdes in the United States by their annual income in three different years, in 2007,2011 and 2015.

Overall, income with $100,000 or more, between $25000 and $49,999 and less than $25,000 have the greatest number of households. In contrast, income between $75,000 and $99,999 has the lowest number of households. Income between $50,000 and $74,999 remained unstable throughout the period.

In 2007, income level less than $25,000 has 25 millions households, this figure increased in 2011 and reached around 28 millions, but decreased in 2015 to around 25 millions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and give an overview that correctly notes the high household counts in the lowest and highest income groups and the low count for $75,000–$99,999. However, the overview is incomplete: the $50,000–$74,999 group was stable, not “unstable,” and the highest-income group rose to a clear peak in 2015. The body reports only the under-$25,000 category, and its final figure is inaccurate: this group was about 28 million in 2015, not 25 million. The other income bands and meaningful comparisons are omitted, so the task is addressed only minimally. The response is also below the required 150 words. Add accurate coverage of the main trends across all groups and support the overview with key figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a detail paragraph. The sequence from general summary to a specific income group is logical, and linking words such as “Overall,” “In contrast,” and “but” help show relationships. This gives the writing a coherent overall arrangement. However, the final paragraph stops after discussing one category, so the progression through the chart is not sustained and the comparison between groups remains unclear. Some connections are also awkward, particularly the overview’s list of income bands without explaining how their figures compare. Develop the body in a planned order, covering the main groups and using clear references such as “this figure” only when the category is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use adequate chart-related vocabulary, including “illustrates,” “increased,” “reached,” and “decreased,” and the income ranges are generally identifiable. These choices allow the reader to understand the basic subject and trend. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise: “income with $100,000 or more” and “income level … has 25 millions households” do not describe household categories naturally. “Unstable” is also unsuitable for a figure that remained unchanged. There is some repetition of “income” and “number of households,” while the short response offers little opportunity to show a broader range of comparison language. Use phrases such as “households earning,” “the figure stood at,” and “remained stable,” and vary expressions for rises, falls, and comparisons.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes both simple statements and more developed sentence forms. For example, the final sentence uses “but” to connect a rise and a fall, and the overview uses “In contrast” to introduce a comparison. Meaning is generally understandable, which shows some control of sentence construction. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “this figure increased … and reached … but decreased,” the past-tense sequence is not maintained consistently; “has” should be “had” when describing 2007. The phrase “25 millions households” also has an incorrect plural form, and the opening sentence has awkward punctuation around the years. Practise consistent past-tense reporting, singular “million” before a noun, and accurate sentence boundaries. More varied, accurately controlled complex sentences would strengthen the response.

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