Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12
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 5.0)
The bar chart below illustrates information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018.
Overall, in 2018 families did not spent their money more in contrast to the 1968 families. But, 2018 families spent their income in mostly leisure, transport, and housing. Families spent their income of large amount in 1968.
On the one hand, we discuss about the families of 1968. Mostly families used their 35% weekly income to brought food or eating food. It was high level as compared to the other categories. Furthermore, fuel and power, clothing and footwaren and personal goods were the categories that increased in contrast to the 2018 families and families used their money in these items at least 10% to 15%.
On the other hand, we discuss about the spending their weekly money. First of all, mostly they spent their money in leisure activity and, this activity was 23% than the 1968 families. Moreover, housing and transport categorie's percentage was rised in contrast to the 1968 families. But, the one category was same in both families, it was household goods. This activity was same percentage like 8%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the task by identifying key trends, such as the decline in food spending and the rise in leisure and transport. However, the analysis is often inaccurate or confusing. For instance, the claim that '2018 families did not spent their money more' is vague and contradicts the data. Furthermore, the statement that 'fuel and power, clothing and footwaren... increased in contrast to the 2018 families' is factually incorrect based on the chart, which shows these categories actually decreased. The overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. To improve, focus on accurately reporting the data and ensuring the overview highlights the most striking differences between the two years.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. Phrases like 'On the one hand, we discuss about' and 'First of all, mostly they spent' are unnatural and do not effectively link ideas. The progression of information is sometimes disjointed, particularly when moving between categories. While there is an attempt to use transition words, they are often placed awkwardly, which hinders the flow of the argument. Improving the variety and precision of linking words would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic phrasing. There are several instances of incorrect word choice and spelling errors, such as 'footwaren' (footwear), 'categorie's' (categories), and 'rised' (rose). The phrase 'spent their income of large amount' is non-standard. While the response uses some topic-specific vocabulary like 'weekly income' and 'leisure activity', the range is insufficient to convey complex comparisons precisely. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more accurate terminology for describing trends, such as 'accounted for', 'experienced a decline', or 'remained stable'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with verb tense and form, such as 'did not spent' (should be 'did not spend'), 'to brought' (should be 'to buy'), and 'percentage was rised' (should be 'percentage rose'). Sentence structures are generally simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are also inconsistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring that verb forms are used correctly in the past and present tenses.
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.