Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-13

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 illustrates the millions of households in the US by their earning amount per yearly in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, It is clear that a large number of families were earning $[redacted phone] or more while the households who earned &75000-$99999 were at the least position.

Firstly, who earned less then $25000 were at 25 million in 2007 and the number rised in 2011 to 29 million and became 28 million in 2015. Households who earned $25000-$49999 were at approximately at 27 million in 2007 and in 2011 it increased to 30 million, but till 2015 it fell and became 29 million.

Moreover, families who earned $50000-$74999 wer

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response identifies the chart’s subject and gives a brief overview, noting that the $100,000-or-more group is large and the $75,000–$99,999 group is the smallest. It also reports approximate figures and trends for the two lower-income categories, mostly in line with the chart. However, the account is incomplete: the final paragraph stops mid-sentence, and the $50,000–$74,999, $75,000–$99,999 and highest-income groups are not properly described. The overview also needs a clearer summary of the main changes, especially the rise in the highest-income group by 2015. The response is 40 words below the required minimum, which contributes to its limited coverage. Develop the missing comparisons and complete the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation: an introduction is followed by an overview and then details, with “Overall,” “Firstly,” and “Moreover” signalling stages. The two income groups that are discussed are presented in a generally understandable order, and their figures are compared across the three years. However, the progression breaks down when the final paragraph ends at “wer,” leaving the report unfinished and the remaining categories unaddressed. The overview is also broad rather than a clear guide to the details that follow. Use separate, complete paragraphs to group the income bands, and ensure each paragraph develops a full comparison. Linking expressions should connect complete ideas rather than substitute for clear progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses enough basic vocabulary to communicate the chart topic, including “illustrates,” “households,” “increased,” and “fell.” It also attempts to vary references with “families” and “households.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward, such as “earning amount per yearly,” “at the least position,” and “rised.” The income bands would be clearer if expressed consistently as “households earning less than…” or “the $25,000–$49,999 income group.” The symbol “&” in “&75000-$99999” is also unsuitable and makes the category harder to read. Aim for precise chart language and accurate collocations, while keeping the income ranges formatted consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentence forms, including “Households who earned $25000-$49999 were at approximately at 27 million in 2007 and in 2011 it increased to 30 million, but till 2015 it fell…”. However, control is uneven: the repeated “at” and the construction “who earned” used without a clear noun antecedent make this sentence awkward. Other errors include “Overall, It,” where the capitalisation after the comma is incorrect, and “the number rised,” which has an incorrect verb form. The final sentence is incomplete, so it cannot demonstrate accurate sentence control. Use complete subject–verb structures, check verb forms and punctuation, and vary sentence patterns while keeping them manageable.

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

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