Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The bar chart exhibits data about how families in a single nation consume their weekly salary in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, there are significant changes in spending patterns that occurred between 1968 and 2018, with noticeable changes in the categories of foods, housing, transport and leisure.

In terms of food, the expenses decreased significantly, while in contrast the transport and leisure costs increased steadily over the fifty year period. In 1968, the highest proportion of families' weekly income was dedicated to food, accounting for nearly 35% of their budget. However, by 2018, this figure had dropped drastically to approximately 15%. In contrast, housing cost surged nearly 10% to over 15% in 2018, illustrating a substantial rise over a five decade span. Additionally, transport and leisure expenses witnessed a remarkable escalation, rising from about 10% in 1968 to over 13% and 22% in 2018 respectively. On the other hand, the category of household goods was almost the same averaging below 10% in the years 1968 and 2018.

Regarding, the other categories such as fuel and power, clothing and footwear and personal goods saw a decline in expenses , ranging from above 5% to approximately 3% in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and selected relevant data points to illustrate the changes between 1968 and 2018. The comparison between categories is well-handled, and the key features—such as the significant decline in food spending and the rise in housing and leisure costs—are clearly highlighted. The data is accurate and supports the summary well. To reach a higher band, ensure that all categories mentioned in the chart are covered with equal clarity, as the final paragraph grouping the remaining categories is slightly less detailed than the earlier sections.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'In contrast', 'Additionally', and 'On the other hand' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the overview from the specific data analysis. The progression of ideas is smooth, and referencing is clear throughout the text. The structure is coherent and supports the overall purpose of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 1 report. Phrases like 'significant changes', 'surged', 'substantial rise', and 'remarkable escalation' show a good awareness of style and precision. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. While the vocabulary is sufficient and precise, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would further enhance the lexical range and help achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammatical control is generally strong. There is a minor punctuation error in the final paragraph ('Regarding, the other categories'), where the comma is unnecessary. Additionally, the phrasing 'housing cost surged nearly 10% to over 15%' is slightly ambiguous regarding the starting point, but the meaning remains clear. Overall, the grammar is accurate and does not impede communication, with a good variety of structures used to convey the data.

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