Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-19

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 provided information in the bar chart illustrates how families spend their typical week wise budget in a country, throughout the last 70 years from 1968 to 2018.

Overall, in the earlier area most of the families are usually spend their weekly income on food, rather than fuel and power, personal goods, and transport, But now in the new area the trend is completely change, because many families are consume their week wise budget on lesiure, and Housing.

In 1968, spending money on food is far more higher in most of the families, while rest of the activities like housing, clothing and footwear, household goods, and leisure are consuming less money as compare to food.

In 2018, the trend is absolutely move in a different way, where many families are now spend the money on housing and leisure, more than food and other personal activities. In the modern area peoples are priorities stander living life instead of eating.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the shift in spending from food to housing and leisure. However, the analysis is quite superficial. It lacks specific data points (percentages or monetary values) to support the comparisons, which is essential for an Academic Task 1 response. The conclusion regarding 'standard of living' is an interpretation not explicitly supported by the data provided. To improve, you must incorporate specific figures from the chart to illustrate the changes, rather than relying on general descriptions of trends.

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 mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'But now in the new area'. The progression of ideas is somewhat repetitive, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'conversely', 'in contrast', 'subsequently') to connect sentences and ideas more fluidly, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are several instances of incorrect word choice and collocation, such as 'week wise budget', 'earlier area', and 'stander living life'. These errors occasionally make the meaning difficult to follow. You should focus on using more precise terminology related to data description (e.g., 'expenditure', 'proportion', 'allocated to') and avoid informal or non-standard phrasing. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary will significantly improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'most of the families are usually spend', 'trend is completely change', 'peoples are priorities'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic tense consistency—especially when comparing past data (1968) with more recent data (2018)—and ensure that your subject and verb agree in number.

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

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