Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07
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 5.0)
The bar graph illustrates in which categories, individuals spent their average earnings weekly in particular country in two different years which are 1968 and 2018. There is weekly income shows in proportion.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that in 1968, the highest proportion of earning was spent on food while in 2018, the leisure activities was presented with the highest percentage. Furthermore, in 1968 and 2018, fuel and power was stand with the least proportion to compare to other activities.
To begin with, in 1968, the spent money on food activities was presented with the highest proportion by exact 35% while other activities was represented with low percentage to compare with other activities over the period. Household goods was presented with the same in these two different years by approximately 7%.
Moreover, in 2018, the food was presented with almost 17% while after it
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is incomplete, as it cuts off mid-sentence in the second body paragraph. Because the response is under the 150-word minimum and fails to complete the analysis of the data, it cannot fully address the task requirements. While you identified the main features in the introduction and overview, the lack of a conclusion and the unfinished nature of the report significantly limit the development of the response. To improve, ensure you complete your analysis of all categories and provide a full summary of the data. The failure to meet the word count requirement and the incomplete status of the text necessitate a lower score for this criterion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Furthermore', and 'To begin with' to structure the response. However, the progression of ideas is interrupted by the abrupt ending of the text. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is incomplete, which disrupts the logical flow of the report. To improve, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect comparisons between the two years more fluidly. Currently, the referencing is sometimes repetitive, and the mechanical nature of the transitions limits the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'was presented with' and 'other activities'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'fuel and power was stand with the least proportion'. To improve, try to use more varied verbs to describe data trends, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'fluctuated'. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'proportion' and 'spending' will also help demonstrate a more sophisticated control of language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'There is weekly income shows in proportion' is grammatically incorrect, and 'the spent money on food activities was presented' is awkward. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'leisure activities was presented'. While you attempt some complex sentence structures, they are often marred by errors. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction and ensure that your verb tenses are consistent when describing historical data. Proofreading for articles and pluralization would also significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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