Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-13
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 bar chart demonstrate information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and 2018
By having a cursory glance it is vivid that , 35 percent individuals spent their on food in 1968 and approximately 17 percent in 2018. However, about 10 percent masses invest in housing in 1968 but it significantly soar about 19 percent in 2018 .Further more, just 7 and 3 percent masses interested in fuel and power in 1968 and 2018. After that, 10 percent people purchase clothes and footwear from their money in 1968 it plunged around 5 since 2018 . Moreover, about 9 percent citizens spent their money in household goods in both years .
Moving further ahead, it is lucid that, 9 percent masses invest in personal goods in1968 and 3 percent in 2018 . However, In transportation people spent around 9 percent in 1968 and it increased around 14 percent since 2018 . Lastly, individuals spent their money approximately 9 percent in 1968 and it grow upto 23 percent in 2018.
Overall, highest number of investment shown in food sector in both years , where as , personal goods accounts lowest investment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart and makes relevant comparisons between 1968 and 2018. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing figures rather than synthesizing trends effectively. The summary of the 'highest' and 'lowest' investment in the conclusion is slightly inaccurate based on the data provided (e.g., 'leisure' became the highest in 2018, not food). While all parts of the task are addressed, the lack of a clear, accurate overview and some misinterpretation of the data categories limit the score. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant shifts, such as the dramatic decline in food spending versus the rise in leisure.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often awkward or unnatural, such as 'By having a cursory glance it is vivid that' and 'Moving further ahead'. Some transitions are used incorrectly, leading to a mechanical flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the logical progression between sentences is occasionally disjointed. To improve, focus on using simpler, more accurate linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus rather than just listing data points sequentially.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'masses' to refer to families, 'invest in' for consumer spending, and 'soar about' instead of 'soared to'. Phrases like 'purchase clothes... from their money' are unnatural. The student attempts to use some descriptive verbs like 'plunged' and 'soar', but these are often used with incorrect prepositions or in the wrong tense. A wider range of vocabulary related to trends and data description is needed to achieve a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses (e.g., 'demonstrate' instead of 'demonstrates', 'it grow' instead of 'it grew') and preposition usage. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors that impede clarity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and missing articles throughout the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of past tense when describing historical data. Reviewing basic sentence construction will also help reduce the frequency of errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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