Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below gives information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018.

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

1968 and 2018: average weekly spending by families

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The line graph compares the average weekly income consumed by families in one country on different eminities in the years of 1968 and 2018.

overall in 1968, round about 35% individuals of that country drained weekly earnings on food resources. on the either side, approximately 7% of hebdomadal wages on fuel and power consumption.

the weekly salary drained on alternatives like clothing, house holds, transport and leisure e.t.c varied between 5-9 Percent.

In 2018, the weekly pay spent on food declined to a certain level left only with 17 percent. on the other side, money on leisure activities surged and showed maximum inclined of 22 percent, dominated in the mentioned activities.

Also housing, transport and leisure expenses rose in 2018 while

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several important features, including the sharp fall in food spending from about 35% to 17% and the rise in leisure to 22%, which was the largest 2018 share. However, the response only partially covers the chart: it ends mid-sentence after “Also housing, transport and leisure expenses rose,” and does not report the full comparison. Housing and transport did rise, but clothing and footwear, fuel and power, and personal goods fell, while household goods stayed at about 8%. The overview is also incomplete, and the response is 29 words below the required minimum. Add a clear summary of the main changes and support it with accurate figures across the categories.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: the response moves from 1968 to 2018 and uses transitions such as “In 2018” and “on the other side” to signal comparison. However, the progression is not fully clear because the opening sentence is followed by an overview-like statement, then a broad list of categories, and finally an unfinished sentence. The phrase “on the either side” is confusing, and “Also” introduces a point that is not completed. Separate the response into a brief introduction, a clear overview, and paragraphs comparing the figures. Use linking expressions that show the exact relationship between categories rather than relying on repeated contrast markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a varied vocabulary, including “declined,” “surged,” and “consumption,” and the reader can generally identify the categories being discussed. However, several choices are unnatural or inaccurate for describing a chart: “income consumed,” “eminities,” “drained weekly earnings,” and “maximum inclined” make the report harder to follow. “Hebdomadal wages” is an unnecessarily obscure substitute for weekly income, while “house holds” is incorrectly written as two words. Prefer precise, conventional chart language such as “the proportion of income spent on” and “rose to” or “fell to.” This would make your vocabulary more accurate and appropriate without needing elaborate synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes some simple and more developed sentence attempts, but control is inconsistent. For example, “overall in 1968, round about 35% individuals…” lacks a clear grammatical structure, and “on the either side, approximately 7% of hebdomadal wages on fuel…” is a fragment without a main verb. The final sentence beginning “Also housing…” is also incomplete. Capitalisation and punctuation are uneven, including lowercase sentence openings and the full stop in “e.t.c.” Aim to write complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, such as “Families spent about 35% of their income on food in 1968.” Check each sentence for a main clause and use consistent punctuation.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.