Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06

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 6.0)

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of weekly income spent by families on different categories in 1968 and 2018.

In an overview, food had the largest share of spending in 1968, while leisure had the largest share in 2018. Housing and transport spending increased, whereas spending on fuel and power, clothing and footwear, and personal goods decreased.

The highest amount was spent by families on food in 1968, which was 35%, but it decreased to 17% in 2018. Housing increased from 10% in 1968 to 19% in 2018. Fuel and power decreased slightly from 6% to 4%. Clothing and footwear also decreased from 10% to 5%.

Personal goods also decreased from 8% to 4%, but transport spending increased from 8% to 14%, which was a significant increase. Leisure spending increased considerably from 9% to 22%. Finally, there was no change in household goods, which remained the same at 8% in both years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the chart and provides a clear overview of the trends. You have selected relevant data points to support your descriptions, such as the shift in food and leisure spending. The comparison between 1968 and 2018 is well-handled throughout the report. To reach a higher band, ensure that you group your data more analytically rather than listing figures sequentially. For instance, grouping categories that increased versus those that decreased would provide a more cohesive analytical structure. Overall, all parts of the task are addressed effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'whereas', 'but', and 'finally', to link your points. However, the transition between sentences could be more varied to improve the flow. Some sentences feel slightly repetitive in their structure (e.g., 'X increased from... to...'). Using a wider range of linking phrases or referencing techniques would help the text feel more sophisticated and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'share', and 'considerably' appropriately. The language is accurate and conveys the intended meaning without difficulty. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations or synonyms to avoid repeating the same verbs like 'increased' and 'decreased'. For example, using 'surged', 'plummeted', or 'remained stable' would add variety and demonstrate a more flexible command of the language, which is necessary for higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writing is generally accurate, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To aim for a higher band, you could experiment with more complex sentence forms, such as using participle clauses (e.g., '...decreasing from 10% to 5%, clothing and footwear...') or more varied subordinating conjunctions. Your current control is solid, but increasing the complexity of your sentence architecture would enhance your score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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