Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-14

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 line chart depicts families in specific country whose spent their weekly income between 1968 and 2018 , the average weekly spending are measured in percentage

Overall , It is clear that most of the families were spent enormously by consuming food , but fuel & power demand in a minimal range among all other items . Some items showed similar ratio but sometimes it fluctuated throughout the period .

Food has recorded most spending (35%) due their weekly income in 1968 , while food & power showed around 7% of their income which was the lowest spending in that time . In 2018 , it showed different spending on foods ratio around 17% that almost same as housing ( 1%) difference . In 1968 . Clothing & footware and housing demand same 10% each

Regarding to the other items , Families spending on household goods didn't fluctuated among both years , while clothing and footware declined around double in 2018 . Transport significantly increased almost 7% within 2018 and people were spending their leisure almost plunged quadfold (22%) in 2018 .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the data, such as the dominance of food expenditure in 1968 and the shift in leisure spending by 2018. However, the report is marred by significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For instance, you state that 'food & power' was 7% in 1968, whereas the chart shows 'fuel & power' at a different value. Furthermore, the claim that housing and clothing/footwear were both 10% in 1968 is not supported by the visual data. While you attempt to highlight trends, the lack of precision in reporting the figures prevents a higher band score. You should focus on accurately transcribing the data points before making comparisons.

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 inaccurate. Phrases like 'Regarding to the other items' are grammatically incorrect and awkward. The logical progression between sentences is sometimes disrupted by confusing phrasing, such as the abrupt transition in the third paragraph. While there is an attempt to use linking words, they are not always used flexibly or appropriately. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of transition signals and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary range is limited and often imprecise. You use words like 'enormously' and 'quadfold' in ways that do not accurately describe the data or are not standard English collocations. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'whose spent' instead of 'who spent' and 'footware' (spelling error). The repetition of basic verbs like 'showed' and 'spending' limits the sophistication of the response. To reach a higher band, you need to use more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'accounted for', 'experienced a decline', or 'remained stable', and ensure correct spelling of key terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('average weekly spending are measured'), incorrect preposition usage ('spending on foods ratio'), and awkward sentence construction ('Families spending on household goods didn't fluctuated'). While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, leading to a lack of control over grammar. The punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of parentheses and periods. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structures and ensuring that your verbs and subjects agree before attempting more complex, multi-clause sentences.

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

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