Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-11

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 illustrates the comparison of average weekly spending of the families with their weekly income in a country in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, families in 1968 spent more on food but they spend minimum weekly income on fuel and power, however, in 2018, families spend more money on leisure activities followed by on housing schemes and minimum spending on personal goods, fuel and power.

Initially, in 1968, families spend 35% of their weekly income on food items every week followed by on housing, clothing and footwear items with 10% consumption each week, moreover, leisure activities covered around 9% and the least spending item was fuel and power which only required around 7% from their income.

By contrast, in 2018, leisure activities consume highest income of 22% every week followed by housing at around 19%, however, personal goods, fuel and power were covering the minimum income of families at around 4% for each.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart and makes relevant comparisons between 1968 and 2018. You successfully identified the shift from food-heavy spending to leisure-focused spending. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. For instance, you mention 'housing schemes' which is not explicitly stated in the prompt, and the description of the data could be more precise. While you highlight the main trends, the report lacks a more detailed synthesis of the data, such as noting that housing remained a significant expenditure in both years. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview and avoid adding external interpretations not supported by the provided chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear. You use some cohesive devices such as 'initially', 'by contrast', and 'moreover' to link your points. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the use of 'moreover' in the third paragraph is a bit forced. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used to create a more natural flow between sentences would help elevate the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'consumption', and 'expenditure' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'housing schemes' is not the most accurate term for 'housing' as presented in the chart, and 'covering the minimum income' is slightly awkward phrasing. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'represented'. Expanding your vocabulary to include more varied ways to describe trends and proportions will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For instance, there are issues with verb tense consistency (e.g., 'families spend' instead of 'spent' when referring to 1968) and article usage (e.g., 'consume highest income' should be 'consume the highest income'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly clunky due to punctuation and preposition errors. To improve, focus on maintaining consistent tense usage when discussing historical data and pay closer attention to the correct use of articles and prepositions to ensure your writing is more polished and accurate.

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

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