Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-09

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 6.5)

The bar chart demonstrates the pattern of expenditure of weekly income by families of a specific country in the years of 1968 and 2018.

Analyzing the graph, it is evident that the most amount of money was spent on food in 1968, consuming 35% of the total income of the week, making it the highest figure on the chart. However, the figures declined to approximately 17% in 2018. Housing along with clothing and footwear acquired the second position in the spending list, at 10% each in 1968. However, the amount spent on housing increased rapidly to 19%, while the data for clothing and footwear reduced to half.

The most amount of money was spent for leisure in 2018, consuming more than 20% proportion of the total income, which was less than 10% in 1968. Expense for transportation doubled over time, from 7% to 14%. Spending on fuel and power displayed a similar decreasing trend to personal goods, over time. Meanwhile, there was no difference in the percentage amount spent on household goods, which stood at 8%, for both the years.

Overall, it can asserted that, food was the most popular choice for people to spend money on in 1968, which changed to leisure activities by the year 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers the main features of the data, providing a clear overview and supporting details. You successfully identify the shift from food expenditure to leisure spending. However, the analysis of the 1968 data is slightly inaccurate; you state that housing, clothing, and footwear were at 10% each, but the chart shows housing at 10% and clothing/footwear at 9%. Additionally, the comparison of 'personal goods' is mentioned without prior introduction, which slightly impacts the clarity of the report. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are transcribed with absolute precision and that every category mentioned is clearly defined.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a summary. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'However,' 'Meanwhile,' and 'Overall' to link your points. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different trends. To improve, try to vary your cohesive devices further, as some transitions feel slightly repetitive. Ensure that referencing is always clear; for instance, when mentioning 'personal goods,' ensure the reader knows exactly which data set you are referring to, as it was not explicitly defined in the preceding sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'expenditure of weekly income,' 'displayed a similar decreasing trend,' and 'consuming a proportion of the total income' are effective. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'most amount of money' (which should be 'largest proportion' or 'highest expenditure') and 'it can asserted that' (missing 'be'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise academic collocations would enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your meaning is consistently clear. There are some grammatical slips, such as the missing auxiliary verb in 'it can asserted that' and the slightly awkward phrasing 'most amount of money.' Punctuation is generally accurate, and the errors present do not impede communication. To move to a higher band, focus on eliminating these minor slips and aim for more complex, error-free sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or passive voice constructions more consistently to describe the data trends.

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