Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The line chart illustrates the perportion of households in the US by their yearly income in 2007,2011, and 2015.

Overall, it can be seen that, in 2015, the majority of households was recorded highest annual income of $ [redacted phone] or more, rather than the lowest income is $ 75000-$ 99999. However, households had stablised all annual income comared with 2015,

To begin with, in 2007, 25 to 27 households stood at between less than $ 25000 and $25000-$49999 annual income but at less 15 households were just about $75000-$99999 compare with $[redacted phone] or more with 50 households. Moreover, 30 households had similarly annual income of less than $25000 to $ 49999 and just below 25 households were $ [redacted phone] or more income in 2011. $50000-$74999 annual salaries of 15 households respectively in 2007,2011, and 2015.

In the contrast, in 2015,35 households had significant represented amount of $[redacted phone] or more yearly basis. However, less than $25000 and $25000-$49999 almost same amount of 25 to 30 households in the US.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.5
Coherence and Cohesion4.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and include an overview, noting that the $100,000-or-more group is highest in 2015 and that the $50,000–$74,999 category is stable. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: the lowest figure in 2015 is for $75,000–$99,999, but this is not the “lowest income” category. Several figures are substantially misreported. For example, the $100,000-or-more group was about 29.5 million in 2007, not 50 million, and the $50,000–$74,999 group was about 21 million throughout, not 15 million. The response mentions some relevant categories but does not accurately compare their changes across the years. Select the main trends and report figures carefully to make the summary more informative and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the three years. Some linking expressions, such as “Moreover” and “In the contrast,” show an attempt to connect information. However, the progression within the detail paragraphs is difficult to follow: categories and years are mixed together, and the reader must work out which figures are being compared. The overview also contains a confusing contrast, while “However” is used where the relationship between ideas is not clear. Organise the body by grouping comparable income bands or by describing the main changes over time, and use clear references to each year and category. This would create a more coherent sequence rather than a list of loosely connected figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “annual income,” “households,” “majority,” and “stablised,” and you attempt to describe comparisons and change. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms make the meaning unclear. “Perportion” is an inaccurate form, “significant represented amount” is not a natural collocation, and “had similarly annual income” does not express the intended comparison clearly. Spelling errors such as “comared” and “stablised” also reduce precision. Use standard terms such as “number,” “category,” “remained stable,” and “approximately,” and choose verbs that accurately describe the data, such as “rose,” “fell,” or “stood at.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “Overall” and “However,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in agreement and sentence structure appear in phrases such as “the majority of households was recorded highest” and “households had stablised all annual income.” The sentence about the $50,000–$74,999 category lacks a clear verb structure, while “25 to 27 households stood at between…” combines figures and categories in a confusing grammatical pattern. Punctuation and spacing around years and dollar amounts are also inconsistent. Build clearer sentences with a subject, verb, and comparison—for example, “The number of households earning… stood at…”—and check agreement and tense throughout.

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

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