Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-17

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 4.0)

the chart demonstrate the number of housholds in he US by their annual income in 2007,2011, and 2015

overall, in 2007, the highest number of housholds reach about 30 millionst their annual income is less than 25,000 dollar, howevr th elowest number of people earn annually 75,000-99,999 is 15 millions. in 2011 the n

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the chart’s subject and attempts an overview by comparing income groups, but it does not provide a complete summary. The claim that the highest figure in 2007 was for households earning under $25,000 is inaccurate: the $100,000-or-more group was highest, at about 29.5 million, while the under-$25,000 group was about 25 million. The lowest group was correctly identified as $75,000–$99,999, at roughly 14.5 million. The response stops before describing 2011 or 2015, so the main trends and comparisons are missing. It is also far below the required 150 words, at 45 words. Report the key changes across all three years and check each figure against the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence introduces the chart, followed by an overview beginning with “overall” and a reference to 2007. However, the ideas do not develop into a coherent summary. The sentence about 2011 ends abruptly at “the n”, leaving the reader without a completed comparison or conclusion. The transition “however” signals contrast, but the relationship between the two figures is not clearly expressed, and there is no paragraphing to distinguish an overview from supporting details. To improve, use a clear introduction, a concise overview, and one or two paragraphs comparing the income groups across the years; complete each sentence and use linking words only where the relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a small amount of relevant chart vocabulary, including “number of households,” “annual income,” “highest,” and “lowest,” so its basic topic is recognisable. However, the range is very limited and some word choices are inaccurate: “people earn annually” does not describe the chart as precisely as “households in the income band,” and “reach” is not a natural choice for reporting a figure in this context. Spelling errors such as “housholds” and “howevr” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise set of terms for describing figures and trends, such as “stood at,” “increased,” and “remained stable,” and check spelling and income-band wording carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts simple sentence structures and a contrast, but grammatical control is inconsistent. For example, “the chart demonstrate” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “the highest number of housholds reach” uses an unsuitable verb form for describing a past chart. The opening also lacks clear punctuation between the years, while the final clause, “in 2011 the n,” is incomplete and prevents the reader from understanding the intended sentence. There is little evidence of a wider range of sentence structures because the response ends so early. Practise complete past-tense reporting sentences, with accurate agreement and punctuation—for example, “The number of households in this group stood at about 25 million in 2007.”

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