Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03
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 given bar graph show information about families expenditure how much spend their income in 1968 and 2018.
The given chart illustrates eight different activities people how much proportion spend it on. In 2018 people were spend 23% in leisure activity it was higher proportion compared to other activity during this time. 19% income people spend on their housing and approximately 17% income people spend on their grocery and food items respectively. moreover, some extra costing like fuel and power, people appearance, household items and personal costing include transport spend income between 4% to 14%.
In the past in 1968, people most like to spend income on foods. it was higher proportion. then housing, clothing and footwear, household good, personal goods and transport similarly cost. However, in fuel and power it was less percentage income required around 4%.
Overall, in the past people are more enthusiastic to spend on their grocery and foods items.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the task by comparing spending in 1968 and 2018. However, the analysis is superficial and lacks precision. While you identify some main features, the description of the data is often vague, such as 'some extra costing... between 4% to 14%'. You fail to clearly contrast the most significant shifts, such as the dramatic decrease in food expenditure versus the rise in leisure and housing costs. The overview is also quite weak, as it focuses only on the past rather than summarizing the most notable trends across both years. To improve, ensure you select the most important data points and provide a clear, comparative overview.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of effective cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often mechanical or missing, making the progression of ideas feel disjointed. For example, the transition 'then housing, clothing and footwear...' is abrupt and lacks a clear connection to the previous sentence. While you attempt to use 'moreover' and 'however', these are not always used to create a smooth, logical argument. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear focus would significantly enhance the readability and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic terms like 'spend', 'income', and 'costing'. There are several instances of incorrect word choice or awkward collocations, such as 'people appearance' (likely referring to clothing) and 'personal costing'. The phrasing 'people most like to spend' is also unnatural. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary related to data description, such as 'expenditure', 'proportion', 'allocated to', 'accounted for', and 'witnessed a significant increase'. Focusing on precise terminology for describing trends will help improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('The given bar graph show'), word order ('people were spend'), and article usage. Sentence structures are generally simple, and attempts at more complex sentences are often marred by errors, such as 'The given chart illustrates eight different activities people how much proportion spend it on.' Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences lacking proper capitalization or ending punctuation. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring consistent verb tense usage when describing past and present data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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