Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-22

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 4.5)

The bar chart illustrates the number of households in US by their annual salaries in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, households with anual [redacted phone] were the heighest in 2007 and 2015 accounting for 29 million houses and 33 million houses respectively. Meanwhile, households with anaul salary of [redacted phone]9 were highest in 2011. Houeholds with the salary of 50,000-47,999 to75,[redacted phone]9 were accounted for the least number of houses throughout the period.

In 2007, houses with the salary of [redacted phone] were highest 29Million houses and the houses with salary range of less then 25000 to [redacted phone]9 were considerabely higher same patten was found in 2011

with houses with salary [redacted phone] was lower.

Moreover, salaries with the range of [redacted phone]9 and [redacted phone]9 were accounted for the least numbers of houses througout the whole period of time.

AI examiner evaluation

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 was largest in 2007 and 2015 and that the $25,000–$49,999 group peaked in 2011. However, the overview also misidentifies the smallest groups: the $75,000–$99,999 category, not the $50,000–$74,999 category, was lowest in each year. Several figures and comparisons are unclear or inaccurate, and the body does not systematically report the main changes—for example, the high-income group rose to about 33.5 million in 2015, while the $50,000–$74,999 group stayed near 21 million. The response is also 17 words below the required minimum. Add accurate comparisons and enough relevant detail to cover the chart more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph, and the response generally stays on the chart. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the body repeats claims from the overview rather than presenting the years or income groups in a clear sequence. The sentence beginning “In 2007” becomes confusing when it moves directly to 2011, and “Moreover” introduces a claim that conflicts with the earlier overview. Some references, such as “the houses” and “same patten,” do not make the comparison clear. Organise the details into a consistent pattern—for example, compare the five income bands across the three years—and use linking phrases only where they clarify the relationship between points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “illustrates,” “accounting for,” “salary range,” and “throughout the period.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or spelling errors make the report harder to understand. “Houses” is repeatedly used where “households” is needed, and “salary” is less suitable than “income” for describing household categories. The income bands are also written inconsistently, including “50,000-47,999 to75,000-99999,” which obscures the intended categories. Spelling errors such as “anual,” “heighest,” and “througout” are noticeable. Use the chart’s category labels accurately and vary a small set of precise terms such as “number,” “figure,” “rose,” “remained stable,” and “fell.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, and the opening sentence communicates the chart’s subject. However, the range is limited, and errors in sentence construction and grammatical relationships recur. For example, “households with anual 100000 were the heighest” lacks a clear grammatical description of the income group, while “were accounted for” uses an unsuitable passive construction. In “the houses with salary of 100000 was lower,” the subject and verb do not agree, and the comparison is incomplete. The long sentence beginning “In 2007” also lacks clear punctuation and structure. Build accurate simple comparison sentences first, then add controlled complex forms using “while” or “whereas”; check articles, agreement, and complete comparisons.

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