Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-26

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 5.5)

The charts offer a comparative overview of how families in certain country utilise their weekly expanses in over fifty years time periods which is 1968 an 2018.

Overall, In 1968, Families more rely on food. Whereas,furel and power was in least number in expenditure by them. While, Leisure shown more interest towards people in 2018.Besides, personal goods and fuel and power had less attractibility.

In 1968, Food contributed high number of expense which was around 35%. Moreover, Housing and Cloathing and footware shown comparitively similar attraction and they were nearly 10%. Although, spare of activities such as, Fuel and power, Household and personal goods,Transport , and Leisure were least popular by families and that were approximately between the range of 5 to 10% of weekly income.

Furthermore, In 2018, Leisure went to came as most demanded by people and that was between 20 to 25%.On the other side, Fuel and power, and Personal goods were shown less choices by families and they contributed less than 5% of income.Food and Housing described approximately 15-20% of weekly income. While, Household goods and Transport were apparently same trend about 5 to 10% of income by families.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying key trends in spending between 1968 and 2018. You successfully highlight the shift from food-heavy expenditure to leisure-focused spending. However, the report lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, stating 'around 35%' for food in 1968 is acceptable, but phrases like 'less attractibility' or 'shown more interest' are vague and do not accurately describe the financial data. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more analytical and that the data points are cited with greater accuracy, avoiding subjective language when describing statistical trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. For example, 'While, Leisure shown more interest' and 'Although, spare of activities' are grammatically awkward and disrupt the flow of ideas. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'in contrast', 'consequently', 'furthermore') more naturally to connect your ideas and improve the overall progression of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, with several instances of word-choice errors that impede clarity. Phrases such as 'utilise their weekly expanses', 'less attractibility', and 'went to came as most demanded' are unnatural and demonstrate a lack of control over collocation. While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'expenditure' and 'income', the overall range is restricted. You should focus on learning collocations related to data description, such as 'account for', 'constitute', or 'a significant proportion of', rather than relying on informal or non-standard phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally make the meaning difficult to follow. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Families more rely', 'Leisure shown'), article usage, and sentence structure (e.g., 'in over fifty years time periods which is 1968 an 2018'). While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, leading to confusion. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct verb tenses, and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect prepositions before moving on to more complex grammatical forms.

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