Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-11

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 4.5)

The bar chart compares number of huoseholds in US as per their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015. The figures are in millions. Overall, $100,000 or more income group had the highest numbers, while income between $50,000 to $74,999 had the lowest numbers.

In year 2015, 34 millions of household had $100,000 or more. This was followed by 30 millions of household in 2007 and in 2011, 28 millions of household had $100,000 or more income. However,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the chart’s subject and give an overview, noting that the $50,000–$74,999 group was the smallest and that the $100,000-or-more group reached its highest level in 2015. However, the response is incomplete: it stops after “However,” and reports almost none of the other income groups or their trends. Some figures for the highest-income group are also inaccurate: it was about 29.5 million in 2007 and 27.5 million in 2011, rather than 30 million and 28 million, though these are close approximations. The required minimum of 150 words is not met; the response contains 70 words, with eight words copied from the prompt excluded. To improve, complete the comparison and report the main changes across all years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response begins with a recognisable introduction, followed by an overview and a paragraph giving figures for the highest-income category. This provides a basic starting structure, but the ideas do not develop into a complete, coherent summary. The final “However,” is left unfinished, so it signals a contrast that never arrives and makes the ending abrupt. The repeated pattern “In year 2015… This was followed by… and in 2011…” also makes the comparison harder to follow, particularly because the years are not presented in chronological order. Organise the body by comparing categories or by moving consistently from 2007 to 2015, and use linking phrases only when the relationship between the figures is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use basic task-related vocabulary such as “bar chart,” “income group,” “highest,” and “lowest,” and the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is narrow and several phrases are awkward or imprecise, including “compares number of households,” “as per their annual income,” and “34 millions of household.” The spelling error “huoseholds” is noticeable, while “This was followed by” does not clearly identify what is being compared. Use standard chart-reporting collocations such as “the number of households,” “by annual income,” and “stood at,” and check spelling and number expressions. More precise vocabulary would also help distinguish the income bands and describe their changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes some correctly formed simple sentences, such as “The figures are in millions,” and the overview uses a basic contrast with “while.” However, grammatical control is uneven. The opening omits an article in “compares number of households,” and “34 millions of household had” has errors in number agreement and plural formation. The phrase “income between $50,000 to $74,999” also uses an incorrect paired preposition; write “between … and …” or “from … to …”. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and the unfinished “However,” leaves the final sentence incomplete. Practise accurate noun phrases, articles, plurals and comparison structures, then proofread each sentence for completion and agreement.

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

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