Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-04

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)

Introduction

The bar chart compares the proportion of average weekly household income spent on eight different categories by families in one country in 1968 and 2018.

Overview

Overall, spending patterns changed considerably over the 50-year period. The proportion of income spent on food decreased dramatically, while expenditure on housing, transport, and leisure increased. Most of the remaining categories accounted for a smaller share of weekly spending in 2018 than in 1968.

In 1968, food represented by far the largest household expense, accounting for approximately 35% of weekly income. By 2018, this figure had fallen sharply to around 17%. Spending on clothing and footwear also declined significantly, dropping from about 10% to roughly 5%. Similarly, expenditure on fuel and power decreased from approximately 6% to 4%, while spending on personal goods fell from around 8% to 4%. Household goods also experienced a slight decline, from about 8% to 6%.

By contrast, several categories became more important in 2018. Housing expenditure almost doubled, rising from around 10% to nearly 19% of weekly income. Transport also saw a considerable increase, climbing from approximately 8% to 14%. The most notable rise was in leisure spending, which grew from about 9% in 1968 to approximately 22% in 2018, making it the largest category of household expenditure in that year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response is excellent. You have fully addressed all parts of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons between the two years. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant shifts, such as the decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure spending. You have supported your points with accurate data from the chart, such as the specific percentages for housing and leisure. The information is well-selected and logically grouped, ensuring the reader gets a clear picture of the changes over the 50-year period. There are no omissions, and the response is fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed analysis, and further split the body paragraphs by contrasting the declining categories with the increasing ones. Cohesive devices such as 'By contrast', 'Similarly', and 'while' are used naturally to link sentences and clauses. The flow is smooth, and the referencing is precise, making the text very easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary, which is used with high precision. Phrases like 'proportion of average weekly household income', 'accounted for', and 'experienced a slight decline' are used accurately and in the correct context. You avoid repetition by using varied verbs and adverbs to describe trends, such as 'fallen sharply', 'climbing', and 'declined significantly'. The vocabulary is natural and contributes to the professional tone of the report. There are no errors in word choice or collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The grammar is highly accurate throughout the response. You have used a variety of complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses and comparative constructions, with full flexibility. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no grammatical errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is excellent. The writing is polished and demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence, meeting the criteria for the highest band.

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