Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The chart illustrates the information about how families spent their weekly income in varied sectors in 1968 and in 2018.

This chart is consisted of different sectors including: food, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footwear, household goods, personal goods, transport and Leisure. This chart is representing percentage of weekly income spend on these diverse activities.

In 1968, many individuals were spending their weekly income on food about 35% as compare to housing (10%). However, according to the survey of 2018 mostly people spend their income on housing as compare to food.

The ratio of other sectors were mostly equal in both time periods like; fuel and power, clothing and footwear, household goods and personal goods. While, transport expense was at 7% in 1968 but leisure time was at 9% in 1968. Then, in 2018, the transport ratio rose to 14% where as the leisure percentage grew upto 22 percent.

Thus, the chart described same activities on different time span that how people were engaged in their weekly activities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the shift from food to housing as the primary expenditure. However, the analysis is quite superficial. You mention that other sectors were 'mostly equal,' which is an inaccurate summary of the data, as there were clear fluctuations in categories like transport and leisure. Furthermore, the report lacks a clear overview or summary statement that highlights the most significant trends. To improve, ensure you provide a more detailed comparison of the data points rather than just listing them, and include a clear introductory overview that synthesises the main trends observed between 1968 and 2018.

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 somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as the use of 'Thus' at the beginning of the conclusion, which does not logically follow from the previous paragraph. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between ideas could be smoother. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'in contrast,' 'subsequently,' 'whereas') to connect your sentences and paragraphs more naturally, ensuring that each transition serves a clear logical purpose.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use the word 'chart' and 'sectors' without much variation. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'mostly people' instead of 'the majority of people' and 'ratio of other sectors' when referring to percentages. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'expenditure,' 'proportion,' 'fluctuated,' or 'remained stable,' and avoid repeating the same sentence structures or word choices throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that affect the flow of the text. For example, 'This chart is consisted of' is incorrect; it should be 'This chart consists of.' Additionally, there are issues with article usage ('the transport ratio') and prepositional phrases ('as compare to' should be 'compared to'). While you attempt some complex sentences, they often contain errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structures and subject-verb agreement. Proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb forms will significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

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

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