Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-27

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 6.5)

The bar chart demonstrates the information in terms of percentage regarding distribution of weekly income by families of a country in year 1968 and 50 years later.

In 1968, it has been clearly seen that, theirs most of the money was spend on food only around 35%. And, second highest on housing, clothing and footwear’s roughly 10%. Furthermore approx. 8% were spend on leisure, transport, personal goods, and household goods. Whereas least were spend on fuel and power only 6%.

Focusing on 2018, the maximum amount of money was spend on leisure and second largest on hosing same as in 1968 up to 19%, however figure of money distributed become half as compared to 50 years ago remains 17.5% only, same is observed in clothing and footwears reached up to 5%, however increased in transport up to 5% and became 14%. same is observed in household around 7%. Additionally, least spend on fuel, power and in personal goods 3%.

Overall, from 1968 to 50years later there is upsurge in income spent on housing, transport and leisure. However, decline in food, fuel power and personal goods.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the chart and makes relevant comparisons between the two years. However, the data reporting is occasionally inaccurate or confusing. For example, the statement that 'the figure of money distributed become half' is unclear and mathematically imprecise. Furthermore, the description of the 2018 data is somewhat disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the trends. While the overview is present, it lacks the clarity needed for a higher band. To improve, ensure that data points are cited accurately and that comparisons are expressed with greater precision and logical flow.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader navigate the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'same is observed in' or 'whereas least were spend'. The progression of ideas within the second and third paragraphs is sometimes hindered by grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which disrupts the flow. While the overall arrangement is coherent, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive structure of sentences limit the effectiveness of the cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of incorrect word forms and collocations, such as 'theirs most of the money was spend' (should be 'most of the money was spent') and 'upsurge in income'. The repetition of basic verbs like 'spend' and 'observed' limits the lexical range. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider variety of synonyms and ensure that word forms (e.g., noun vs. verb) are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('money was spend'), incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. For example, 'theirs most of the money was spend' and 'figure of money distributed become half' contain significant errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for tense consistency and subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.

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