Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-03

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 6.0)

The bar graph illustrates the number of households annual income in the US in three consecutive years 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, the amount of families who earn annually in 2007 and 2011 were same with minor changes. However, in 2015 the amount of public who earn one lakh dollars increases gradually.

Looking in detail, the families who earn less than $25,000 dollars are 25 million in 2007, by 2011 the amount increase to 29 million meanwhile, in 2015 the amount decreased and stable at 26 million. Therefore the amount of residents who earn annually between $25 thousand to $50 thousand dollars are 26 million in 2007, by 2011 the amount surge to 30 million and decreased to 28 million in 2015. Moreover, families who earn between $50 thousand to $74 thousand dollars are same at 20 million throughout three years. However, a slight change in amount of domestic units who earn between $75 thousand to 1 lakh dollars in three years. Furthermore, families who generate 1 lakh dollar or more almost 29 million in 2007, by 2011 the amount decreased to 27 million, though in 2015 the amount grow rapidly to 34 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the five income groups and all three years, and several figures are close to the chart, including the rise in the $100,000-or-more group from about 29 million to 34 million by 2015. The overview also identifies this group’s strong increase, a key feature. However, the overview’s claim that household totals in 2007 and 2011 were “same” is unclear and does not capture the main pattern: most groups changed only modestly, while the highest-income group dipped and then rose sharply. Some figures are inaccurate: the under-$25,000 group is about 28–29 million in 2015, not 26 million, and the $50,000–$74,999 group is about 21 million, not 20. The $75,000–$99,999 figures are not reported, leaving one category underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, an overview and a detail paragraph. The categories are generally presented in a sensible sequence, and linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “Furthermore” help signal additions. This gives the report a coherent arrangement. However, the overview is difficult to interpret, particularly “the amount of families who earn annually in 2007 and 2011 were same,” and some transitions make the relationships between figures less clear. “Therefore” does not express a logical consequence before the next income group, while repeated “by 2011” constructions make the account feel mechanical. To strengthen progression, group the categories by their trends and use clearer comparisons, rather than moving through each one with the same linking pattern.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “decreased,” “surge,” “throughout” and “grow rapidly,” and the income bands are mostly identifiable. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for a chart report: “amount of public,” “domestic units,” and “families who generate 1 lakh dollar” do not describe household numbers naturally. “Increases gradually” is also inaccurate for a change that is a sharp rise after a decline. The repeated use of “amount” limits precision; “number of households” is the appropriate phrase for countable units. Use consistent, standard expressions for the income thresholds, such as “$100,000 or more,” rather than switching to “one lakh,” and choose verbs that accurately convey the size and direction of each change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple statements and longer sentences with clauses, for example, “by 2011 the amount surge to 30 million and decreased to 28 million in 2015.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors recur. Subject–verb agreement and tense are inconsistent: “the amount increase” and “the amount grow” should use past-tense forms when describing these years. The opening phrase “the number of households annual income” is missing a grammatical link, and “the amount of families … were same” has problems with both the noun phrase and agreement. Some long sentences also join several changes without clear punctuation. Aim for accurate past-tense reporting and build comparisons in shorter, well-controlled clauses; this will make the range you attempt clearer and more reliable.

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