Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-25

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)

In this bar graph chart there is a information about how families in one country spent there weekly income in 1968 and in 2018

There are seven things to make a comparisons and reporting main features of 1968 and 2018.

The main thing about the comparisons are about the food.In 1968 the food were 35% which is highest percentage of the graph and in 2018 the percentage was 17.The fuel and power are the least percentage of the graph in 1968 and also in 2018 which was 7% in 1968 and 4 % in 2018.The greater % of the 2018 was in leisure which is 22% and the in 1968 it is 9%.Household goods are equal in both years which were 8%.The clothing and footwear was 10% in 1968 and 5% in 2018 and also the percent of personal goal was also high in 1968 as compared to 2018.

last but not the least transport was a gradually increased in 2018

At last the housing in mainly increased as in comparison of 1968 it was 19.In conclusion a major effect was on leisure as it is increased and a bad impact on food .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure spending. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and lacks a clear overview. The student lists data points rather than synthesising the information into meaningful trends. For example, stating 'the food were 35%' is a direct transcription of data without sufficient analytical comparison. The conclusion is also problematic, as it introduces subjective language like 'bad impact,' which is not appropriate for an objective academic report. To improve, focus on grouping related categories and highlighting significant shifts rather than listing every item individually.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a logical structure. It is essentially one long paragraph with minimal paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are used in a very mechanical and repetitive way, such as the frequent use of 'in 1968' and 'in 2018' to start sentences. There is a lack of linking words to connect ideas smoothly. For instance, the transition between the discussion of food and fuel is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you should organise your response into clear paragraphs (e.g., an introduction, two body paragraphs focusing on different trends, and a summary) and use a wider variety of linking phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies heavily on basic terms like 'things,' 'main thing,' and 'high/low.' There are also errors in word choice, such as 'personal goal' (likely referring to personal goods) and 'a gradually increased' (which is grammatically incorrect). The range is insufficient to convey complex comparisons with precision. To improve, you should learn topic-specific vocabulary related to data description, such as 'expenditure,' 'proportion,' 'fluctuated,' 'remained stable,' and 'accounted for.' Avoiding informal phrasing like 'last but not the least' will also help improve the academic tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the food were 35%'), incorrect article usage ('a information'), and awkward sentence construction ('the housing in mainly increased as in comparison of 1968 it was 19'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which are necessary for higher band scores. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of prepositions when describing statistical data.

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

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