Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-25

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 7.5)

The given bar-chart shows the spending of families' weekly income on various activities, for the year 1968 and 2018. At a glance, it can be seen that family expenditure increased significantly on leisure activities than most other categories.

In 1968, major share of income was spent for food (35%), followed by expenditure on housing, and clothes and footwear, both at 10%. Moreover, approximately 30% of total family income was used collectively for household and personal goods, transport and leisure activities; while, spending for fuel was just above 5%.

During 2018, the food expenses declined significantly from 35% to nearly 17%. Also, families contributed more for housing (18%) and leisure (22%) purposes. The spending on household goods remained stable; on the other hand, the share of income on transport doubled. The expenditure on fuel, clothes and footwear, and personal goods decreased moderately.

Overall, the spending on food decreased rapidly, while the expenditure on leisure activities increased dramatically by 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and comparing the data between 1968 and 2018. You have successfully highlighted the significant decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure and housing costs. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the most notable changes. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points mentioned are accurate and that you provide a more comprehensive comparison of the categories that remained stable or showed minor fluctuations, rather than just focusing on the most dramatic changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'moreover', 'during', and 'on the other hand' to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is easy to follow. To improve, try to vary your cohesive devices further and ensure that the transition between the description of 1968 and 2018 is even smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and each paragraph has a clear focus, which helps the reader navigate the information provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly, using terms like 'expenditure', 'declined significantly', and 'remained stable'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is appropriate for an academic task. However, there are minor issues with collocation, such as 'contributed more for housing', which would be more naturally expressed as 'spent more on housing'. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would further enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your control of grammar is generally good. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are a few minor slips, such as 'increased significantly on leisure activities than most other categories', where the comparative structure is slightly awkward. Additionally, ensure consistent use of articles and prepositions. Overall, your grammatical control is strong enough to communicate complex information without difficulty, meeting the requirements for a solid band 7.

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