Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-29

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 6.5)

The chart illustrates the number of households(in millions) in the US according to their yearly income in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, families earning 100,000$ or more decrease slightly before increasing massively and claiming the highest position in chart. Household with 50,000$-74,999$ income remained unchanged throughout the chart.

Household with annual income of less than 25,000$ were 25 in 2007 before increasing slightly to just below 30 in 2011, however, in 2015 this number decreased to around 27. Meanwhile families with yearly income of 25,000$-49,999$ also experienced same pattern started with just above 25 in 2007, increased to 30 in 2011 before dropping to 28 in 2015.

Furthermore, household with 50,000$-74,999$ income remained unchanged at around 21 throughout the chart. Household with income of 75,000$-99,999$ started at just below 15 in 2007 and slightly increased to 15 in 2015. However, family with yearly income of 100,000$ or more was at just below 30 in 2007 and slightly decreased to around 28 in 2011 before increasing massively around 33 in 2015 becoming highest in chart.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You provide a clear overview of two important features: the $100,000-or-more group ends as the largest, after a dip and strong rise, while the $50,000–$74,999 category stays stable. You also cover all five income bands and make relevant comparisons across the three years. Most figures and trends are accurately reported, including the rise in the two lower-income groups to 2011 and their subsequent decline. Some details are less precise: the highest-income group rises to about 33.5 million, rather than simply “around 33,” and the $75,000–$99,999 group dips slightly in 2011 before reaching 15 million in 2015. Reporting that intermediate movement would make the account more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the income groups. The information generally progresses logically, and linking expressions such as “Meanwhile” and “Furthermore” help signal comparisons. This gives the reader a coherent account. However, the final paragraph repeats the unchanged $50,000–$74,999 figure already stated in the overview, and several sentences begin with “Household” or “Furthermore,” making the progression somewhat mechanical. The contrastive “however” in the first data paragraph also joins two complete ideas with only a comma. To strengthen cohesion, group categories more deliberately and use varied, accurate links while avoiding repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “remained unchanged,” “decreased,” “increased,” and “highest position,” so the main trends are understandable. There are also attempts at more descriptive language, such as “claiming the highest position.” However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural: “increasing massively” is too informal and overstated for a rise from about 27.5 to 33.5 million, while “same pattern started with” is an awkward way to describe the figures. The repeated use of “household” and “families” also limits variety, and income amounts are formatted inconsistently as “100,000$.” Use precise trend language such as “rose substantially” and standard forms such as “households earning $100,000 or more.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “before” and “while,” and the overall meaning remains clear. However, some errors in sentence structure and agreement recur. For example, “Household with annual income … were 25” has a singular subject with a plural verb, while “families … also experienced same pattern started with” lacks a clear grammatical connection between the clauses. In “in 2015 this number decreased,” punctuation is needed after the introductory phrase, and “before increasing … and claiming” does not clearly maintain a parallel structure. Articles and plurals are also inconsistent, as in “highest position in chart.” Review subject–verb agreement, article use, and sentence boundaries, then check that longer sentences have a clear main clause.

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