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 illustrate the households in the united states according to their Annual Income in 2007, 2011 and 2015

overall, the families who had the annual income of less than 25000$ increase significantly from 25 millions to approx 29 million from 2007 to 2011 moreover, those who had the annual income of [redacted phone]$ or more slightly decrease in 2011 as compare to 2007 however it increase dramatically in 2015

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the chart’s subject and mention two relevant income groups, including the rise in households earning under $25,000 by 2011 and the later increase in the $100,000-or-more group. However, the response is only a brief overview: it gives no account of the other three income bands and does not compare the years in enough detail. The claim that the lower-income group rose “from 25 millions to approx 29 million” is broadly accurate, but the overview omits key features such as the highest-income group reaching its peak in 2015 and the $50,000–$74,999 group remaining stable. The response is 62 words, below the required 150; the eight words copied from the prompt were not counted. Add a fuller overview and selected comparisons with figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic order: an opening sentence identifies the chart, followed by an overview of two trends. This gives the reader a simple starting structure, but there is no developed sequence of details or paragraphing to guide comparisons across all five income groups. The overview sentence also joins several contrasting points with “moreover” and “however” without clear punctuation, so the relationships between the trends are harder to follow. To improve, separate the introduction, overview and detailed comparisons into paragraphs, and use linking expressions only where their meaning fits. For example, contrast the slight fall in the highest-income group in 2011 with its rise by 2015 in distinct, clearly punctuated clauses.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “households,” “annual income,” “increase,” and “decrease,” and the income categories are generally understandable. The range is nevertheless narrow, with repeated reliance on basic trend verbs and little language for comparing values or describing stability. Some choices are imprecise or awkward, such as “families” for the chart’s household data and “slightly decrease” for a change that is better described as a fall. Capitalisation and currency formatting are also inconsistent, as in “united states” and “25000$.” Build a more precise set of trend and comparison expressions, and use the chart’s terminology consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a longer sentence with contrasting clauses, showing some willingness to connect ideas, and the main trend meanings can generally be understood. However, the sentence structures are limited, and errors in agreement, tense and punctuation recur. For example, “the bar chart illustrate” needs a singular verb, while “those … slightly decrease” should use a past-tense form to match the years shown. The phrase “as compare to 2007” also has an incorrect grammatical form, and the long overview sentence needs clearer punctuation or division into shorter sentences. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and subject–verb agreement, then vary sentence patterns while keeping each comparison controlled.

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