The table below shows information about age, average income per person and population below the poverty line in three states in the USA.

Age average income per person and population below poverty line in three states in USA - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 7.5 · 182 words.

The table displays information regarding age, average income and the population living below the poverty line in three states of the USA, including California, Utah and Florida.

Overall, what is particularly striking is that Utah has the youngest population and the lowest poverty rate among the three states, despite having the lowest average income, while Florida has the oldest population and the highest poverty rate.

To start with age, Utah has by far the highest percentage of people aged under 18, at 28%, compared to just 17% in California and 16% in Florida. In terms of people aged over 60, however, the pattern is reversed, with Florida having the largest proportion, 23%, followed by California with 13%, whereas Utah has only mere 8%.

Considering income, California has the highest average income per person, at 23,000 dollars, followed by Florida with 22,000 dollars, while in Utah it was only 17,000 dollars. Turning to poverty, California has the highest percentage of population below the poverty line, 16%, followed by Florida at 12%. Nevertheless, it was Utah which has the lowest rate, a negligible 9%.

Examiner feedback

This is an excellent response that effectively summarizes the key data points in the table. The writing is clear, organized, and uses a strong range of vocabulary to draw comparisons between the three states.

Task Achievement - 8

- All requirements of the task are met, with clear categorization of information. - An effective overview is provided, highlighting the main trends across the states. - Key data features are well-selected and illustrated with accurate supporting figures.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- The response is logically organized with a clear structure. - Cohesive devices such as 'in terms of', 'however', 'whereas', and 'nevertheless' are used effectively to guide the reader. - The progression of ideas is smooth, moving logically from age to income and poverty statistics.

Lexical Resource - 8

- A wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary is used, such as 'striking', 'proportion', 'negligible', and 'reversed'. - Vocabulary is consistently accurate and appropriate for the context of data analysis. - The use of collocations is natural and precise.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 7

- The candidate demonstrates a good range of complex sentence structures. - There are minor tense inconsistencies, such as switching between 'has' and 'was' when describing data. - Punctuation is generally well-managed, though the phrasing 'only mere 8%' is slightly awkward.

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