Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-26

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 bar chart illustrates the number of families in the US according to their annual income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, the least number of households in 2007 earned 75,000$ to 99,999$ annually. In 2015, the large number of families earned about 100,000$ per year.

The saliries of households changed every year but the number of families with 75,000$ income were the least number in all years. Mostly families in 2007 earned 100,000$ and above, on the other hand, income ranges from 25,000$ to 49,999$ consisted most of the households and also consisted high amount of families with less then 25,000$ income per year.

In 2015, the families least income was about in the range of 99,999$ and highest income of most of the families was more than 100,000$ but the families with annually income less than 25,000$ and 49,999$ were similar to each other at some extent. people earned higher saliries in 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and make an attempt at an overview, noting that the $75,000–$99,999 group was smallest in 2007 and that the $100,000-plus group was largest in 2015. However, several comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: the $75,000–$99,999 category was not the smallest in every year, and in 2007 the $100,000-plus group was largest, rather than the $25,000–$49,999 group. The overview also misses key patterns, such as the stable $50,000–$74,999 figure and the rise in the highest-income group by 2015. The response is 147 words, three words below the 150-word minimum. Select the main trends accurately and support them with clear figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic paragraph structure, with an introduction, an overview, and further comparisons, so the reader can recognise the intended stages of the response. However, the progression is difficult to follow because ideas are repeated and some comparisons conflict. For example, the claim that the $75,000–$99,999 group was the smallest “in all years” is followed by unclear statements about which income groups contained the most households. Linking phrases such as “on the other hand” do not clearly signal the relationship between the points that follow. Organise the body by comparing lower and higher income groups or by describing changes across the three years, and use references that make each category unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses relevant basic terms, including “bar chart,” “annual income,” “households,” and “income ranges,” which allow the general topic to be understood. However, vocabulary is repetitive, and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “saliries,” “least number of households,” and “families least income.” The repeated use of “families” also blurs the chart’s measure, which is households. Use precise reporting language such as “the number of households,” “income bracket,” “rose,” “remained stable,” and “accounted for.” Check spelling and use standard currency formatting (for example, “$75,000–$99,999”) to make the data descriptions clearer and more appropriate for an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “on the other hand” and a sentence beginning “In 2015.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make relationships difficult to interpret. For example, “the large number of families earned about 100,000$” lacks a clear grammatical comparison, while “the families least income was about in the range” has faulty sentence structure and agreement. The sentence beginning “The saliries of households changed every year” also does not clearly express what changed. Build accurate sentences around a clear subject and verb, and check articles, agreement, and punctuation. Shorter, well-controlled comparisons would help before attempting more complex structures.

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