Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31

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 bar chart compares the weekly spending of families of a nation of the years 1968 and 2018.

Overall, Despite for household items, there is a fluctuation in all expenditures in both years. Where in 1968 most of the income used for food and for 2018 it is changed to liesure.

First of all, almost 35% of weekly income has spent on food in 1968 and that was of 7%, smallest of all, for fuel and power in 1968, while in 2018 the highest percentage spent on leisure, that was 22% and lowest of all for personal things and fuel that was 4% each.

Furthermore, there was almost 8% spent on transport, personal goods, family items and leisure in 1968, on the contrary, in 2018 percentages were more fluctuating but for both years spending for houshold items remained 8%. At the last, 5% spent on footware and clothing in which was double in 1968.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the task by identifying the main features and comparing the two years. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you state that 'most of the income used for food' in 1968, which is correct, but the description of 2018 is slightly confusing. The data interpretation is inconsistent in places, such as the claim that 'there is a fluctuation in all expenditures,' which is not a precise way to describe a comparative bar chart. To improve, ensure that you select the most significant trends—such as the dramatic shift from food to leisure—and support these with more accurate data points to provide a clearer overview.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and unclear transitions. While you use linking words like 'First of all' and 'Furthermore,' the connection between sentences is often mechanical. The referencing is sometimes ambiguous, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between 1968 and 2018. The concluding sentence is particularly disjointed, as it introduces new information in a way that lacks cohesion with the previous points. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the readability of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic descriptors like 'fluctuation' and 'changed to,' which do not accurately reflect the data trends. There are also some errors in word choice, such as 'liesure' (spelling) and 'footware' (spelling). To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'expenditure,' 'accounted for,' 'witnessed a decline,' or 'remained stable.' Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' will also help you avoid repetition and demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Despite for household items,' 'almost 35% of weekly income has spent,' and 'that was of 7%.' These errors involve incorrect preposition usage, passive voice construction, and subject-verb agreement. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these slips prevents the text from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction, particularly the correct use of articles and verb tenses, will help you produce more error-free sentences and improve your overall accuracy.

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

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