Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-21

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 column chart compares number of households in the United state by their yearly income in 2007, 2011, 2015. At a glance, the numbers of households which have $75000-$99999 income remained the same among all three years.

In 2007, 25 million households had less than US$25000 this figure increased steadily to 29 million

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the chart’s subject and attempts to report a figure for the lowest income group, but it does not provide a usable overview of the main patterns. The claim that the $75,000–$99,999 group “remained the same” is inaccurate: it falls slightly from about 14.5 million in 2007 to 14 million in 2011, then rises to 15 million in 2015. The statement that households earning under $25,000 increased to 29 million is broadly close for 2011, but the sentence is unfinished and gives no comparison with 2015. Most income bands and years are not covered, so the task is addressed only minimally. The response is also 97 words below the required minimum. Add a clear overview and report several accurate comparisons across the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence introduces the chart, followed by a sentence about the figures. The phrase “At a glance” signals an overview, and “In 2007” marks a move to a specific year. However, the ideas do not develop into a coherent summary because the response stops mid-sentence after “increased steadily to 29 million,” leaving the trend and comparison incomplete. There is no paragraphing or progression through the remaining income groups and years, and the link between the overview claim and the later detail is limited. To improve, use a short introduction, a concise overview, and one or two paragraphs grouping related income bands, with complete sentences and clear comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a small set of relevant terms, including “column chart,” “households,” “yearly income,” and “increased steadily,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the vocabulary range is limited and some expressions are imprecise or awkward, such as “the numbers of households which have” and “remained the same among all three years.” The income categories are written as compressed figures rather than clearly formatted ranges, which reduces readability. The unfinished final sentence also leaves the trend description incomplete. Use standard chart language such as “the number of households earning,” “income bracket,” “rose to,” and “then declined slightly,” while varying verbs accurately to describe changes. Clear formatting of dollar ranges would also make the data easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response contains some understandable sentence structures, including the opening clause “The column chart compares…” and the time phrase “In 2007.” However, grammatical control is uneven. The opening is missing an article before “number” and uses a singular country name where a plural form is needed; the list of years also lacks a suitable linking structure. In “this figure increased steadily to 29 million,” a full stop or conjunction is needed before “this,” and the sentence remains incomplete. The overview sentence also uses an awkward construction with “which have” for describing households by income. Practise complete, well-punctuated sentences and consistent past-tense reporting, for example: “The chart compares the number of US households by annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.”

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