Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-08
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 chart below shows information about families of one country how spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018. The families in 1968 mostly spend their weekly income on food and the lowest part of income spend on fuel and power. In 2018 families highest income spend on leisure and lowest on personal goods.
Families of one country in 1968 spend 10 percent of weekly income on housing and clothing and footware. The approximately, 8 percent of income spend on transport, leisure, personal goods and household goods. The lowest percentage of weekly income spend on fuel and power near to 6 percent.
In 2018 families 23 percent of income use on leisure and just below to 20 percent on housing. Seventeen percent of income spend on food. Just below to 15 percent spend on transport. Eight percent of income spend on household goods and 5 percent on clothing and footware. The lowest percentage of income spend on personal goods and fuel and power.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the task by identifying main features and comparing data between 1968 and 2018. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, relying heavily on listing percentages rather than synthesizing trends. For instance, the report notes specific figures like '23 percent' and '17 percent' but lacks a clear overview of the significant shifts, such as the dramatic decline in food spending or the rise in leisure costs. While the key features are present, the lack of a clear, analytical summary of the overall trends limits the score. The response covers all parts of the prompt, but the development of ideas is somewhat superficial.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into three paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'In 2018' and 'The lowest percentage' are used mechanically. There is a lack of linking words to connect ideas within sentences or between paragraphs, making the flow feel somewhat disjointed. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'The approximately, 8 percent', which lacks a clear subject or logical connection to the previous sentence. Improved use of transition signals would significantly enhance the logical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. The student frequently repeats words like 'income', 'spend', and 'percentage'. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'clothing and footware' (spelling error: footwear) and 'lowest part of income spend on'. The range is quite narrow, and the student does not demonstrate the ability to use less common lexical items or synonyms to describe trends (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', 'surpassed'). To improve, the student should focus on using a wider range of verbs and nouns related to data description.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tense and subject-verb agreement, such as 'families... spend' (should be 'spent') and 'income spend on' (should be 'income was spent on'). The sentence structure is often repetitive, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is generally functional, but the overall control of grammar is inconsistent. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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