Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 bar chart depicts numericals of households situated in the United States Of America with accordance to their annual income in the following years of 2007 , 2011 and 2015 .

Overall , year 2015 accounts for the significant proportion of 33 million households reached 100k , however while year 2007 represents the smallest share .

Apparently , 2011 contributes larger than 2007 .

2015 reached a peak at 100k or more.

2011 levelled off at 30 million with 25000 to 49000 .

2007 fluctuated between 100,000 for 30 million people and saw a lowest with 15 million just on 75000 .

2015 remained constant at 25 to 27 million families with 25000 to 49,000 .

2011 rose sharply with 30 million households earning 25000 to 49000 from last survey .

year 2011 saw a gradual fall in the households

who were earning 100,000 from 30 million to 27 million .

2015 had soaring growth of 30 million people with 100,000 from previous years .

this trend contiued in 2015 in the bracket of 50,000 to 74,999 from 2011 .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and include several relevant comparisons, especially the high point for households earning $100,000 or more in 2015 and the rise in the $25,000–$49,999 group by 2011. However, the overview is unclear: saying 2007 had the “smallest share” does not specify which income group, and the chart does not show that 2007 was smallest overall. Several details are inaccurate or confusing. For example, the $50,000–$74,999 group stayed around 21 million throughout, rather than showing a continuing trend in 2015, while the $75,000–$99,999 group was about 14–15 million, not simply “15 million just on 75000.” Select the main patterns and report them precisely, distinguishing each income bracket.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response contains relevant information, but its organisation does not yet create a clear progression. The opening is followed by a short overview, then a series of separate statements that repeat or conflict with one another: the 2015 peak at $100,000 or more is stated twice, and the rise to about 30 million in the $25,000–$49,999 group is also repeated. Connections between years and income categories are often difficult to follow, particularly in “this trend continued in 2015 in the bracket of $50,000 to 74,999.” Group the information into a clear overview and two comparison paragraphs, and use explicit references to the relevant income bands so readers can track each trend.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “significant proportion,” “levelled off,” “rose sharply,” and “soaring growth.” However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for describing a bar chart: “numericals of households,” “situated,” “accounts for the significant proportion,” and “fluctuated” do not accurately express the data. “People” is also unsuitable when the chart counts households, and “reached a peak at 100k” is less precise than naming the income category and number of households. Spelling errors such as “contiued” and inconsistent forms such as “100k” reduce control. Prefer straightforward, accurate terms such as “number of households,” “increased,” “remained stable,” and “approximately.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to combine ideas, but sentence structures are often incomplete or faulty, which makes some comparisons hard to interpret. For example, “Overall, year 2015 accounts for …, however while year 2007 represents…” joins clauses awkwardly, and “2015 reached a peak at 100k or more” lacks a clear subject referring to the number of households. Tense and agreement are inconsistent: “2011 contributes” and “2015 remained” shift between present and past, while “year 2011 saw” needs an article. Punctuation spacing and sentence-initial capitalisation are also inconsistent. Use past tense consistently for the years shown, build complete sentences with clear subjects, and separate contrasting clauses with appropriate punctuation.

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