Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The bar chart compares how families in one country allocated their weekly income to different categories in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, the proportion of income spent on food was considerably higher in 1968, whereas housing, transport and leisure accounted for larger shares in 2018. Household goods was the only category in which the proportion remained unchanged.

In 1968, food represented the largest proportion of weekly household expenditure, at approximately 35%. This was followed by clothing and footwear at around 10%, while household goods, personal goods and transport each accounted for about 8–10%. By contrast, fuel and power made up a relatively small proportion, at approximately 6%.

The pattern changed significantly by 2018. Spending on food almost halved, falling to around 17%. Similarly, expenditure on clothing and footwear, fuel and power, and personal goods declined to approximately 5%, 4% and 4%, respectively. In contrast, spending on leisure rose sharply from about 9% to 22%, making it the largest category in 2018. Housing also increased substantially, from around 10% to 19%, while transport rose from approximately 8% to 14%. Spending on household goods remained stable at about 8% in both years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview that identifies the main trends, such as the shift from food-dominated spending to leisure and housing. The data is well-selected, and you have made effective comparisons between the two years, such as noting that food expenditure 'almost halved' while leisure 'rose sharply'. The figures are accurately reported, and the structure allows for a logical progression of information. You have successfully highlighted the key features without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'By contrast', 'Similarly', and 'In contrast' are used naturally to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the initial state from the changes observed by 2018. The flow of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two time periods.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report, such as 'allocated', 'expenditure', 'proportion', and 'substantially'. The use of collocations like 'rose sharply' and 'remained stable' is accurate and natural. While the vocabulary is precise and fits the context well, it stays within a standard range. To reach the highest band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated or varied synonyms for 'increased' or 'decreased' to demonstrate even greater flexibility, though your current usage is already very effective for this task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing demonstrates a high level of grammatical control. You have used a variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while household goods... each accounted for...') and participial phrases, with very few errors. Punctuation is accurate, and the use of commas to separate clauses and list items is handled correctly. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips that might occur are not present here. The control over tense and comparative structures is excellent.

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