Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-28

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 given bar chart illustrates who to manage weekly income by families in two different years in one country.

Overview, most of the income used on food in 1968 while, in 2018 families spend higher on leisure and the fuel and power expenses were least in both years.

To begin, in 1968 almost 35 percent income spend on food while, in 2018 this percent decrease to approximately 17 percent and the leisure expenditures increase in same year round about 23 percent and in 1968 spending on leisure was less the 10 percent. The house constructions expenses were only 10 percent in 1968 while, in 2018 this expenditures were almost double just less then 20 percent. The household goods spending was same in both year approximately 8 percent. In 1968 families spend 10 percent of weekly income on clothing and footwear products and this expenditures reduce to half in 2018. The personal goods and transport expenses were similar almost 7 percent while, in 2018 these spending were different families spend just less then 15 percent on transport and just below 5 percent on personal goods.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, including the significant shift in food and leisure spending. However, the overview is slightly disjointed and lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the overall trends. While the key data points are identified, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing figures rather than synthesizing them into a clear comparison. The statement 'fuel and power expenses were least in both years' is inaccurate based on the provided data, as other categories like 'personal goods' were lower in 1968. To reach a higher band, ensure data accuracy and provide a more analytical overview that highlights the most significant changes between the two years.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by repetitive sentence structures and a lack of varied cohesive devices. The use of 'while' and 'in 1968/2018' is frequent and mechanical, making the text feel like a list of facts rather than a cohesive report. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'In contrast,' 'Conversely,' 'Furthermore') and ensure that ideas are grouped logically rather than just following the order of the categories on the chart.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a heavy reliance on basic verbs like 'spend' and 'increase'. Some phrasing is unnatural, such as 'who to manage weekly income' and 'house constructions expenses'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'this percent decrease' (should be 'this percentage decreased') and 'less the 10 percent' (should be 'less than'). To achieve a higher score, incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to trends, such as 'expenditure,' 'allocated to,' 'witnessed a decline,' or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('families spend' vs 'families spent'), incorrect tense usage ('this percent decrease' instead of 'decreased'), and missing articles. Additionally, there are punctuation errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'just less then 20 percent' (should be 'than'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. Focusing on consistent tense usage and correct prepositional phrases would significantly improve the clarity of the writing.

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