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 chart illustrates the number of households in the US based on the annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015. If we observe the bar graph shown for 2007, we can clearly see a gradual increase as the annual income increased from less than $25,000 to $49,999, after which a noticeable reduction can be seen as the income received annually enhanced from $50,000-$99,999. But after the annual salary increased massively to $100,000 or more, that is where a significant rise in no. of households were reported to have taken place in the US.

Also if we look at the the bar graphs in 2011 and 2015 as shown, we can bring our attention to the fact that the increasing and decreasing trend for all the timelines is the same, except in the case of 2011 where a minute reduction in the total number of houses can be observed at the highest annual income. Overall, the massive decrease in the households when annual salaries were between $50,000-$99,999 brings our attention to the point that maybe it was the time where people stopped investing in properties as an asset and started going for other options.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and make an attempt to compare the three years, but the response only minimally reports the data and does not provide a clear, accurate overview of its main features. For example, you describe a “gradual increase” in 2007 followed by a reduction, but combine the $50,000–$74,999 and $75,000–$99,999 groups, obscuring their separate figures. The claim that the pattern is the same across all years is inaccurate: in 2015, households earning $100,000 or more reached the highest figure, about 33.5 million, while in 2011 that group was lower than the $25,000–$49,999 group. The explanation about people changing property investments is unsupported by the chart. Focus on the actual household counts and avoid inferring causes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: it introduces the chart, discusses 2007, then turns to 2011 and 2015 before ending with a general comment. This gives the reader some sense of progression. However, the organisation is not consistently clear because the comparisons are broad and the categories are not reported separately. Linking phrases such as “Also if we look” and “Overall” help signal movement, but the repeated references to “the bar graph” and “the fact” are mechanical rather than precise. The final sentence shifts from describing the chart to speculating about investment choices, which weakens the progression. Group the information by meaningful income bands or trends, and use clear comparisons between years to connect the paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary, including “noticeable reduction,” “significant rise,” and “annual income,” and the general meaning is usually clear. Some less common choices are not natural or precise for describing statistical data: “annual salary increased massively” refers to income levels rather than the number of households, while “houses” is not an accurate substitute for “households.” “Enhanced” is also an awkward choice for income rising, and “no. of households” is an informal abbreviation. These choices reduce precision even though they do not prevent understanding. Use standard chart language such as “the number of households rose,” “income bracket,” and “approximately,” and keep terminology consistent throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including longer clauses with “after which” and “except in the case of 2011,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors and awkward constructions persist. For example, “a significant rise in no. of households were reported” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “the increasing and decreasing trend for all the timelines is the same” does not form a clear grammatical comparison. The phrase “if we look at the the bar graphs” also contains a repeated article. Several sentences are long and joined by multiple clauses, making relationships between ideas harder to follow. Aim for more controlled comparisons, check agreement and articles, and use shorter sentences where they improve clarity.

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