Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-14

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 given pie chart illustrates the many households in the united state how much their annual income in three different years 2007,2011 and 2015

From an Overall percepective is that evidents number of household who earning is $[redacted phone] or more which was the highest while,$75000 to $99999 households earning which was the lowest in given time in united state

To begin with,in 2007 number of household who income was less than $25000 nearly 25%,after 5 years there was silghtly incease and reach nearly 30,then 5 years later in 2015 there was sligtly decline (nearly 27%).Next $25000 to $49999 income household in 2007 was nearly 27%,next there was slightly inceased almost 30% in 2011,after 5 year later it declined (nearly 28%) which was the lowest among the data.Moreover in 2007 household who earned $50000 to $74999 it nearly 20%,after 8 year later it same likewase in 2007.

Furthermore,in 2007 who households income $75000 to $99999 it nearly 14%,after 5 year it silghtaly declined (almost 13%),then next 5 years normal incraesed and reach almost 15%.Last Number of household who income $[redacted phone] or more in 2007 it almost 30%,then next 5 year later sudden declined and reach nearly 25%,after that in 2015 it slightaly increased almost 32% which was the highest of among data

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover all five income groups and identify two important features: the $100,000-or-more group is the largest in 2015, while the $75,000–$99,999 group is generally the smallest. This gives the response a relevant overview and supports a strong account of the chart. However, several figures and comparisons are inaccurate: the chart shows households in millions, not percentages, and the highest-income group rose to about 33.5 million in 2015 after falling to 27.5 million in 2011, rather than reaching 25 million and then 32 million. The $25,000–$49,999 group was not the lowest in 2015. The overview also needs to summarise the main changes across the period more precisely. Accurate units and closer checking of key values would strengthen the report further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the income groups. The sequence from lower to higher income categories helps readers follow the information, and transitions such as “To begin with,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” signal movement between points. However, the linking is sometimes mechanical, with repeated “after 5 years” and “then,” and some references are unclear—for example, “after 8 year later it same likewise in 2007” does not clearly state which year or value is being compared. Several long sentences also combine multiple years and categories without clear punctuation. Use shorter, clearly separated comparisons and vary linking expressions to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “annual income,” “households,” “declined,” and “increased,” and you attempt to describe changes over time. However, the range and control are limited, with repeated wording such as “nearly,” “slightly,” and “after 5 years.” Some choices are inaccurate for this chart: “pie chart” should be “bar chart,” and “25%” or “30%” wrongly presents household counts as percentages. Spelling errors such as “percepective,” “evidents,” and “silghtly” are noticeable and sometimes make the text harder to read. Aim for precise terms such as “number of households” and “million,” and check spelling and collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect information across years using time clauses and contrast, as in “after 5 years there was slightly increase,” so there is some effort to go beyond isolated simple statements. However, many sentences are grammatically incomplete or inaccurately formed, and the range of reliable structures is limited. For example, “number of household who income was less than $25000” lacks a clear grammatical relationship, while “it nearly 20%, after 8 year later it same” omits necessary verbs and has unclear tense construction. Articles, plurals, and subject–verb agreement also need attention. Build sentences around a clear subject and verb, such as “The number of households earning under $25,000 rose to about 28.5 million in 2011.”

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