Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

The bar chart illustrates the percentage distribution of weekly family income in a particular country in 1968 and again fifty years later, in 2018.

In 1968, it is evident that the largest proportion of income was spent on food, accounting for around 35%. The second highest expenditure was on housing, clothing, and footwear, each at approximately 10%. In addition, about 8% of income was allocated to leisure, transport, personal goods, and household goods, while the smallest share went to fuel and power, at only 6%.

By contrast, in 2018 the spending pattern had shifted considerably. The greatest proportion of income was devoted to leisure, while housing remained the second largest category at 19%. However, spending on food had declined sharply to just 17.5%, roughly half of its 1968 level. Expenditure on clothing and footwear also fell to 5%, whereas transport rose significantly to 14%. Household goods accounted for around 7%, and the least spending was observed in fuel, power, and personal goods, both at 3%.

Overall, between 1968 and 2018 there was a clear increase in the proportion of income spent on housing, transport, and leisure, while spending on food, fuel, power, and personal goods declined. This reflects a shift in priorities and lifestyle over the fifty-year period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response effectively covers all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends and provided relevant comparisons between 1968 and 2018. The overview in the final paragraph clearly synthesizes the most significant changes, such as the shift in spending priorities. You have used data accurately to support your points, such as noting the decline in food expenditure from 35% to 17.5%. The response is well-structured and fulfills all requirements of the prompt by selecting key features rather than listing every single data point, which demonstrates a good understanding of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each year, and a summary overview. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you have used cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'By contrast', and 'Overall' effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different time periods and the concluding summary. The flow of information is natural, and the relationship between the data points is clearly articulated throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information precisely. Phrases like 'percentage distribution', 'expenditure', 'accounted for', and 'shifted considerably' are appropriate for an academic report. The vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well. While the range is solid, incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms or collocations related to trends (e.g., 'a marginal decrease' or 'a substantial surge') could elevate the response further. However, the current usage is natural and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'The greatest proportion of income was devoted to leisure, while housing remained the second largest category'. Punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, showing a high level of control. To reach the highest band, you could experiment with a slightly wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using more participial phrases or inversion.

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