Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-24

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 5.5)

The chart provide information about how families in one country invest their weekly wages from 1968 to 2018. After analyzing the chart it is evident that there was a huge difference between the percentage of food in [redacted phone]. Additionally, within the weekly spending money approximately 10% in 1968 and 20% in 2018 spend money in housing Moreover, almost 7 % fuel and power country spent money in 1968 and around 6 % in 2018. In addition, the percentage of clothing and footware in 1968 is increased and decreased in 2018. Further, the char reveals that the combined percentage of invest money in household good and approximately 15 % in the given year. Furthermore, around 13% of families invest money in personals goods in 1968 while, the percentage of 2018 roughly at 4 %, Moreover the percentage of transport and leisure was observed same during the period. Overall, it is evident that the highest percentage of invest money in 1968, While the lowest percenthae in 21018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response attempts to summarise the data but fails to provide a clear overview or highlight the most significant trends. While it mentions several categories, the reporting of data is often inaccurate or confusing (e.g., stating 'the percentage of transport and leisure was observed same', which is not supported by the data). The summary lacks a clear comparison of the most dramatic shifts, such as the significant decrease in food spending versus the increase in housing costs. The conclusion is also incomplete and unclear, failing to synthesize the main features effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices like 'Additionally', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' is mechanical and often misused, creating a list-like feel rather than a cohesive analysis. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between ideas is abrupt. The paragraphing is inconsistent, with some sentences appearing disjointed from the main body of the text. To improve, focus on grouping related data points together and using linking words to show relationships between the years rather than just listing figures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The word 'invest' is used incorrectly throughout the text; in this context, 'spend' or 'expenditure' would be appropriate. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'footware' instead of 'footwear', 'char' instead of 'chart', and 'percenthae' instead of 'percentage'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the data with precision, relying on basic structures that do not allow for a sophisticated description of the trends shown in the chart.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The chart provide'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'the percentage of food in 1968-2018'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with some attempts at complex ones that are often faulty. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and misused commas. A focus on basic sentence structure and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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