Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-17
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 given chart illustrates how families in one country spent their weekly income in the year 1968 and 2018
Overall, the families has spend more money in food in the year 1968. Meanwhile families has spend more money in leisure time in the year 2018 as compared to 1968.
To begin with, it is evident that families has spent their more income in food industry in the year 1968 with a proportion of 35% but in 2018 it has declined to 17% approximately. In the year 1968 families spent their money in Clothing, footwear and housing which accounts for 10%, When it comes to the year 2018 they accounts for 5% and 19% respectively. The smallest proportion among all is fuel and power sharing 6% in 1968 and 4% in 2018.
Furthermore, household goods share equal percentage of 7% in both the years. Similarly, in the year 1968 personal goods and transport also shares the equal percentage of 8%
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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, identifying the shift from food-heavy spending in 1968 to leisure-focused spending in 2018. However, the analysis is incomplete. You failed to mention several categories shown in the chart, such as 'Transport' or 'Leisure' in the body paragraphs, and the data reporting is inconsistent. For instance, you mention transport in the final sentence but do not provide the 2018 figure, leaving the comparison unfinished. To reach a higher band, ensure all categories are addressed and that comparisons between the two years are consistently provided for every item mentioned.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Meanwhile', and 'Furthermore'. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical. The final paragraph is particularly weak, as it introduces information that feels disconnected from the previous analysis. Additionally, some referencing is unclear; for example, the phrase 'they accounts for' lacks a clear antecedent. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'spent their money' and 'shares the equal percentage'. There are also minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'food industry' (which is not the correct term for household food expenditure) and 'sharing 6%'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'spending' (e.g., 'expenditure', 'allocation', 'outlay') and use more precise language to describe statistical trends, such as 'accounted for' or 'represented'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement and tense usage. Examples include 'families has spend' (should be 'families spent'), 'families has spent their more income' (awkward phrasing), and 'they accounts for' (should be 'they accounted for'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar structures limit the score. You should focus on mastering simple sentence structures before attempting more complex ones, ensuring that your verbs consistently agree with their subjects and that your verb tenses remain consistent throughout the report.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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