Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The bar chart compares information on average weekly income spending by families in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, the type of expenses have changed within the periods. Spendings for leisure became twice as high by 2018 and expenses for food, which accounted for just third of weekly income, have become half as much as in 1968.

In 1968, most expenses were for food, about 35%, while this proportion experienced a significant decline by 2018, just over 15%. Housing and leisure consisted for the main expenses in 2018, close to 20% and almost 25%, respectively.

Another expenses, such as fuel and power, clothing and footware, personal goods were higher in 1968, approximately 5-10% each. Spendings for transport increased from slightly less than 10% in 1968 to around 15% in 2018. The percentage for household goods rema

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified some key features, such as the decline in food spending and the rise in leisure, the report is incomplete. The final sentence is cut off mid-thought, and you have not provided a comprehensive overview of all categories. To improve, ensure you cover all data points provided in the chart and write a full, cohesive summary that meets the length requirement. The current response is too brief to fully address the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is interrupted by the incomplete final sentence. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall' and 'In 1968', which helps the reader follow the logic. However, the lack of a conclusion and the abrupt ending make the overall progression feel disjointed. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that you use a wider range of linking words to connect your comparisons more smoothly. Ensure your writing is complete to maintain a logical structure throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accounted for', 'proportion', and 'significant decline'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'Another expenses' (should be 'Other expenses') and 'footware' (spelling error: 'footwear'). The vocabulary is functional but lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher band. Focus on using more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure you check your spelling of common nouns related to the chart categories.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the type of expenses have changed' (subject-verb agreement: 'has changed') and 'consisted for the main expenses' (incorrect preposition: 'consisted of'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the incomplete final sentence prevents a full assessment of your control over complex structures. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage. Aim to proofread your work to catch these minor errors before finishing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.