Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The bar chart the data of how families on one state spend their average weekly revenue in 1968 and 2018.
Overall, it is clear that, the highest significant figure of average weekly income is food in 1968 and 2018, while the lowest recoded by fuel and power. In addition household goods remained stable in 1968 and 2018.
Initially with food started 35% in 1968 and sharply decreased to around 17% in 2018, despite as compare with housing recorded 10% of weekly income in 1968 rose to double figure to be around 20% in 2018.
Turning to fuels and power, clothing and footware and personal good respectevily were dramatically decline more than 100%, although household recorded stable figure at 7%.
Finally, looking to the transport was at 7% in 1968 and increased to around 14% in 2018, and leisure time was less than 10% and high growth to 22% in 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, such as the decline in food spending and the rise in leisure and housing costs. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For example, you state that fuel, clothing, and personal goods declined by 'more than 100%', which is mathematically impossible and misrepresents the data. Additionally, the opening sentence is incomplete ('The bar chart the data...'). While you identify key trends, the lack of precision in reporting figures and the inclusion of inaccurate claims limit the effectiveness of the response. To improve, ensure that all data points are transcribed accurately and that your summary reflects the actual trends shown in the visual.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'In addition', and 'Finally' to signal transitions. However, the logical flow is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and grammatical errors. For instance, the transition 'Initially with food started 35%' is syntactically confusing. The use of 'respectevily' (spelling error) and the way you group the categories in the fourth paragraph feel somewhat mechanical. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of imprecise word choice and spelling errors. Words like 'recoded' (instead of 'recorded'), 'footware' (instead of 'footwear'), and 'respectevily' (instead of 'respectively') detract from the professional tone. You also use 'highest significant figure' and 'high growth' in ways that are not standard academic collocations. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'a significant decrease', 'a steady rise', or 'remained constant', and ensure you proofread for basic spelling accuracy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with verb tense consistency, missing verbs (e.g., 'The bar chart [shows] the data'), and awkward sentence structures (e.g., 'despite as compare with housing recorded 10%'). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as 'leisure time was less than 10% and high growth to 22%'. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction—ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb—and practice using comparative structures correctly.
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.