Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-30

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 graph illustrates the average weekly income spent by families from 1968 to 2018 in percent.

Overall, average weekly income spent by families in hosing, transport and leisure rose throughout the period, while opposite was true for remaining.

In 1968, families spent most of their income in food , which was 35 percent , the figure decreased significantly to nearly 17 percent in 2018. It was followed by housing with 10 percent in 1968 , the figure for the same increased by 9 percent in 2018 . Fuel and power was the least among all , witnessed at 7 percent in 1968 and 4 percent in 2018,respectively. The average weekly income spent by families on household goods remained constant throughout the given period. On clothing and footwear families spent almost 10 percent of their weekly income in 1968 , which reduced by half of it in 2018 . Approximately 7 percent of weekly income was spent by families in personal goods , which declined by 3 percent in 2018 . There was a doubled surge in the spending of families in transport from 7 percent in 1968 to 14 percent in 2018 . Families spent almost 9 percent of their weekly income in leisure in 1968 , which grew significantly to

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided relevant data points to support your comparisons. You covered all categories mentioned in the chart. However, the response is incomplete as it cuts off mid-sentence at the end. Additionally, while you mention that spending on household goods remained constant, the data shows a slight fluctuation, which is a minor inaccuracy in reporting. To reach a higher band, ensure you complete your sentences and provide a more precise analysis of the data points, ensuring that your overview clearly highlights the most significant shifts, such as the dramatic decline in food spending versus the rise in leisure and transport.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response follows a logical structure, moving from an overview to specific category comparisons. You use some cohesive devices like 'In 1968', 'It was followed by', and 'respectively' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is limited, and the abrupt ending significantly disrupts the flow and cohesion of the final section. To improve, ensure that your paragraphs are balanced and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. The mechanical nature of listing each category one by one could also be improved by grouping related trends together.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'witnessed', 'declined', and 'surge'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'hosing' instead of 'housing' and 'remaining' used as a noun without a clear antecedent. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive sentence structures when describing changes in data. Ensure you proofread for spelling errors, as these can occasionally distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'the opposite was true for remaining' (missing article) and 'the figure for the same increased' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas before percentages. The incomplete final sentence also impacts the overall grammatical control. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Practicing more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participial phrases, would also help demonstrate better grammatical range.

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