Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The bar chart compares the information regarding the average weekly spending by families in a country across eight different categories.

Overall, in 1968, food accounted for the largest proportion of families weekly spending, but its share decreased considerably by 2018. In contrast, spending on housing, transport and leisure increased, while most of the other categories experienced a decline.

An analysis of the chart reveals that, in 1968, food accounted for 35% of weekly income, whereas it decreased to 14% of weekly income. In contrast, housing recorded 10% of income in 1968, where it experienced a dramatic increase by 19% of the income in 2018. A similar pattern is observed in transport, where it recorded around 6% of the income in 1968, and the figure climbed to 14% of weekly income by 2018.

From the chart is evident that, in 1968, the figure for leisure recorded 8% and 24% of weekly income in 1968 and 2018 respectively. Moreover, Fuel and power accounted for 6% and 4% of weekly income in 1968 and 2018 respectively. Furthermore, Household goods made up around 7& of weekly income in both years. The figure for clothing and footware reached 10% and 5% in 1968 and 2018 respectively. Families spent their weekly income on personal goods, which recorded 8% of income in 1968, whereas it dipped to approximately 4% of income by 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features and trends, such as the significant decline in food spending and the rise in housing and leisure costs. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you stated housing increased by 19%, whereas the chart shows it increased to 29% (a 19% difference, not an increase of 19%). Additionally, you mentioned leisure was 24% in 2018, but the chart indicates 24% for 2018 is correct, yet your phrasing for the 1968 figure is slightly confusing. Ensure data points are transcribed precisely to avoid misrepresenting the information provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the transition 'From the chart is evident that' is grammatically awkward and slightly disrupts the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general trends from the specific data points. To reach a higher band, ensure that cohesive devices are used more naturally and that sentence structures remain fluid throughout the transition between ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly, using terms like 'accounted for', 'proportion', 'dramatic increase', and 'dipped'. There are a few minor errors, such as 'footware' (spelling: footwear) and a typo '7&' instead of '7%'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the sophisticated, less common lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. Focusing on more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling will help improve your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. However, there are several grammatical slips that affect the precision of your writing. For example, 'From the chart is evident that' should be 'It is evident from the chart that'. Additionally, there are issues with preposition usage and article placement, such as 'recorded 10% of income in 1968, where it experienced a dramatic increase by 19%'. These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more careful proofreading to ensure that complex structures are formed accurately.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.