Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02

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 4.0)

Country spent their weekly income in 1968 on food is high but in 2018 weekly income is to low rather then 1968.In 1968 weekly spent is 35 but on the other hand in 2018 weekly spent is around 16 to 17. In the country average weekly spending by families in housing is 10 but in 2018 it is rapidly increasing the number of weekly spending on 2018 is nearby 18 to 19.In fuel and power the graphs show in 1968 fuel and power have higher consumption but on 2018 it is very which is good for environment,In 2018 fuel and graphs show nearly 4to5.In clothing and footware graphs shows higher weekly spending on 1968 but in 2018 it is to lower then 1968 ,It approximately 5.In the graph shows in 1968 to 2018 household goods are same it's around 6 to 7 . Personal goods weekly spending on 1968 is nearby 6 to 7 it's higher then 2018 .In 2018 personal goods weekly spending is lower than 5 which is rapidly decrease. In 1968 transport weekly spending is lower than 2018.In 1968 graphs shows it is around 7 to 8 but in 2018 it's highly increased nearly to 15 which shows good effect but it's also produced bad effect for environment.In Leisure the weekly spending graphs shows in 1968 it is to low but in 2018 it is Highly spending cross over than 20. Which shows good effect.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to report on the provided data, but it fails to provide a clear overview or a logical summary of the main trends. The information is presented in a fragmented, list-like manner, focusing on individual data points rather than synthesising the information. There is no clear distinction between the main features and supporting details. Furthermore, the analysis is often inaccurate or confusing, such as the claim that weekly income in 2018 is 'too low' compared to 1968, which misinterprets the chart's focus on spending categories. The lack of a clear introduction or summary paragraph significantly hinders the task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response lacks paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow. Ideas are presented in a disjointed way, with very little use of cohesive devices to link sentences or ideas. While there are some attempts at transition words like 'on the other hand' or 'in the country', they are often used incorrectly or mechanically. The progression of information is not logical; the writer jumps between categories without a clear structure, making the overall flow of the text confusing for the reader. Referencing is also unclear, as the text frequently refers to 'the graph' or 'the charts' without specifying the categories clearly.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The writer relies heavily on basic phrasing such as 'weekly spending', 'graphs show', and 'higher than'. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'weekly income is to low rather then 1968' and 'it is very which is good for environment'. The lack of variety in vocabulary prevents the writer from describing the trends with any precision. The spelling is also inconsistent, and the misuse of basic terms makes it difficult to convey the intended meaning clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There is a lack of control over basic sentence structures, with many run-on sentences and comma splices. Subject-verb agreement is often incorrect, for example, 'graphs shows it is around 7 to 8'. The use of articles and prepositions is inconsistent or missing, such as 'in 2018 fuel and graphs show nearly 4to5'. Complex sentence structures are largely absent, and the few attempts at them are grammatically flawed. Punctuation is also problematic, with inconsistent spacing and capitalization throughout the text.

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.