Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-29

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 7.5)

The bar chart compares the proportions of weekly household income that families in one country spent on eight different categories between 1968 and 2018.

Overall, food accounted the largest share of family expenditure in 1968, whereas leisure became the biggest spending category in 2018. In addition, the proportion spent on food, clothing, fuel and power, and personal goods decreased, while spending on housing, transport and leisure increased.

In 1968, families spent approximately 35% of their weekly income on food, making it the largest expenditure by a considerable margin. Housing, clothing and footwear each accounted for around 10%, while leisure represented about 9%. Household goods, personal goods and transport were each close to 8%, and fuel and power made up roughly 6%.

By 2018, the pattern had changed significantly. Spending on leisure rose dramatically to approximately 22%, making it the largest category. Housing also increased substantially, reaching about 20%, while transport almost doubled to around 14%. In contrast, expenditure on clothing and footwear declined to 5%, while fuel and power and personal goods both dropped to around 4%. Household goods remained relatively stable at approximately 8%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all requirements of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the shifts in spending patterns between 1968 and 2018. The selection of data is accurate, and the comparisons between the two years are well-integrated. You correctly highlighted the significant rise in leisure and housing costs alongside the decline in food expenditure. The information is logically grouped, and the key features are clearly presented, meeting the requirements for a high band score in this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-organized with a clear logical progression. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'in addition', 'by 2018', and 'in contrast' are used appropriately to link ideas and guide the reader through the data. The flow of information is smooth, and each paragraph has a clear central focus, which contributes to the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data accurately. Phrases such as 'accounted for', 'by a considerable margin', 'rose dramatically', and 'remained relatively stable' demonstrate a good command of academic language. The word choices are precise and appropriate for the context of a data report. While the vocabulary is effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms or collocations could elevate the response further, but the current range is more than adequate for a high band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses and comparative structures. The grammar is generally accurate throughout the text. There is a minor error in the second paragraph where you wrote 'food accounted the largest share' instead of 'accounted for the largest share'. However, this is a minor slip and does not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your writing.

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

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