Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-23
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 given chart illustrates how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and now in 2018.
Overall, In 1968 people used to their 30% of weekly income in food but now in 2018 the percentage is decreased. In 1968, people used to spent only 8% in leisure but now in 2018 the percentage is increased to 23%.
In 1968, people used to about 30% of their weekly income but now in 2018 the percentage is decreased. In 1968, people spent about 10% of their weekly income in housing and now in 2018 they spent about 18% of their weekly income in housing. For the transportation the percentage of spending is decreased. People used to spent their income in clothing and footwear but now the percentage of clothing and footwear is also decreased. Spending percentage on household good is same since 1968. Even spending on personal goods percentage is also decreased. Spending percentage on transport is increasing between 1968 and 2018. And spending percentage in leisure is also increased between 1968 and 2018.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is inconsistent and lacks precision. While you identify some trends, you fail to provide a clear overview of the most significant changes. Furthermore, there are factual inaccuracies in your description; for instance, you state that spending on household goods remained the same, whereas the chart shows a clear decline. The report lacks a structured comparison between categories, and the information is presented in a repetitive, list-like fashion rather than a cohesive summary. To improve, ensure you group related data points and focus on the most striking differences between 1968 and 2018.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks logical paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow. The ideas are presented in a disjointed manner, with sentences often repeating the same structure ('In 1968... but now in 2018...'). There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas; the transition between sentences is mechanical and repetitive. The overall progression is weak, as the information is not grouped by theme or trend, but rather listed category by category without clear signposting. To improve, use paragraph breaks to separate the overview from the detailed analysis and employ a wider range of linking words like 'conversely', 'in contrast', or 'meanwhile'.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic phrases such as 'the percentage is decreased' or 'the percentage is increased' throughout the text. There is little attempt to use a variety of synonyms or more sophisticated vocabulary to describe trends (e.g., 'plummeted', 'surged', 'remained stable', 'fluctuated'). Additionally, there are errors in word choice, such as 'used to their 30% of weekly income', which is grammatically awkward and lexically imprecise. Expanding your range of verbs and adjectives related to data reporting is essential for a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include incorrect verb forms ('people used to spent'), missing prepositions, and awkward sentence structures ('people used to about 30%'). There is a lack of complex sentence structures; most sentences are simple and follow the same repetitive pattern. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. To improve, focus on mastering the difference between 'used to' and 'used to spend', and practice combining simple sentences into complex ones using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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