Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-22

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 provided bar chart compares the average weekly spending of families in a country in 1968 and in 2018

Overall, most people used to spend their weekly income on food in 1968, whereas in 2018, they spend mostly on leisure activities. While fuel and power was the least spent item in both the years, personal goods entered the chart in 2018.

35% of the weekly expenditure by families was for food items in 1968, the largest figure on the chart, followed by housing and clothing & footware, at 10%. Leisure activities were given about 9% priority back then, while transport, personal and household goods accounted for around 8% of weekly spending each. However, only was 6% represented fuel and power expenditure in 1968, which is the lowest figure in that year.

In 2018, families started spending more on leisure (~23%) activities rather than on food (~17%). Housing expenditure rose and so 19% of the weekly income accounted for that. Moreover, transport cost increased compared to 1968, so around 14% of the weekly expense made up for that. Even though household goods remained in the same position as 1968, clothing & footware showed decrease to 4%, in the weekly expenditure. Meanwhile, the least spent on weekly activities include fuel & power and personal goods, at around 4% each.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the chart and makes relevant comparisons between the two years. You successfully identified the shift in spending priorities, such as the decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure activities. The data is accurately reported, and the overview provides a clear summary of the main trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that all categories are consistently compared; for instance, you mentioned 'personal goods' entered the chart in 2018, but you could have more explicitly contrasted this with the 1968 data to highlight the change in spending categories more effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'whereas,' 'while,' 'however,' and 'moreover' to link information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods. The referencing is generally clear, though some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow between sentences. Overall, the structure is easy to follow and supports the reader's understanding of the data trends.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'weekly expenditure,' 'accounted for,' and 'represented' are used accurately. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'clothing & footware' (spelling error: footwear) and 'the least spent on weekly activities include,' which is slightly awkward. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise synonyms for 'spending' or 'increase/decrease' would enhance the lexical variety and demonstrate a higher level of control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'However, only was 6% represented fuel and power expenditure,' which is syntactically incorrect. Additionally, there are minor punctuation and phrasing issues, such as 'clothing & footware showed decrease to 4%, in the weekly expenditure.' Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the text. To improve, focus on sentence structure consistency and ensure that subject-verb agreement and word order are handled with greater precision in complex sentences.

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

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