Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-18

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 depicts the data about the families in one country spending their weekly wage in the years of 1968 and 2018.

Overall, the choice of spending has fluctuated over period. In 1968, food was holding biggest share, but gradually, it declined and other factors showed upward trend, and some showed downward trend.

Initially, the food was the biggest priority of families, but with the passage of time, it decreased 22% approximately. In contrast, families in 1968, used to spend about 9% on amusement, but now, its share surged above the 20%. Similarly, dwelling and transport showed upward trend and falls approximately at 19% and 14%, respectively.

However, few things declined over the period or remained unchanged. For instance, the shopping and household goods expenditure remained unchanged over the period. Similarly, the expense for fuel and power declined too. But any how, the expense for clothing and personal goods declined to 10% and 7% approximately, and respectively,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying key trends such as the decline in food expenditure and the rise in amusement and transport costs. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The data reporting is occasionally inaccurate or confusing, such as stating that dwelling and transport 'falls' at 19% and 14%, which does not clearly reflect the chart's data points. Furthermore, the description of 'shopping and household goods' as remaining unchanged is factually incorrect based on the provided data. To reach a higher band, you must ensure that the data points cited are precise and that the comparisons between the two years are clearly articulated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'initially', 'in contrast', and 'however'. However, the flow is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, the phrase 'But any how' is informal and inappropriate for an academic task. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the logical progression between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help create a more cohesive response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'biggest share' and 'upward trend'. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'the choice of spending has fluctuated' (which is not the most accurate way to describe the data) and 'the food was the biggest priority'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated terminology related to data analysis, such as 'expenditure', 'proportion', 'significant', or 'marginal'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the food was holding biggest share' (missing articles), 'it decreased 22% approximately' (awkward word order), and 'the expense for clothing and personal goods declined to 10% and 7% approximately, and respectively' (clunky and redundant structure). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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