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

Overall, the eight different categories of expenses have changed within the periods. Expenditure on leisure became twice as high by 2018 and expenses for food, which accounted for just a third of weekly income, have become less than in 1968.

In 1968, most expenses were for food, about 35%, while this proportion has experienced a significant decline by 2018, to just over 15%. Housing and leisure accounted for the main expenses in 2018, close to 20% and almost 25%, respectively. The figures for personal goods and clothing and footwear in 1968 were approximately twice as high as in 2018, about 8% for the former and 10% for the latter.

Other spending, for fuel and power, did not witness a considerable change, it has remained around 5%. Expenditure for transport increased from slightly less than 10% in 1968 to around 15% in 2018. The percentage for household goods has maintained the same proportion in both periods.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the chart and makes relevant comparisons between 1968 and 2018. You successfully identified the major trends, such as the decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure spending. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant changes. However, the report could be improved by ensuring all data points are accurate; for instance, you mentioned food accounted for 'a third' of income, while the chart shows it was closer to 35%, and your description of 'personal goods' and 'clothing' as being 'twice as high' in 1968 is slightly imprecise based on the visual data. Overall, the task is well-addressed with a clear focus on the main trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. You use cohesive devices such as 'while', 'respectively', and 'in both periods' to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the information is easy to follow. To reach a higher band, you could vary your cohesive devices further to avoid repetitive sentence structures and ensure that the transition between the overview and the specific data points is even more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision, using terms like 'proportion', 'expenditure', and 'significant decline'. There is an attempt to use less common items, which is appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. While the vocabulary is generally accurate, some phrasing is slightly repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'accounted for' and 'expenses'. Expanding your repertoire of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would enhance the sophistication of your writing. Overall, the lexical range is adequate and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There is a minor punctuation error in the sentence 'Other spending, for fuel and power, did not witness a considerable change, it has remained around 5%', which is a comma splice; this should be two separate sentences or joined with a semicolon. Despite this, your control over complex structures, such as the use of relative clauses and comparative forms, is good. The grammar is accurate enough that it does not cause any difficulty for the reader.

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