Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The bar chart provides data related to families who spent their weekly income in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, the expenditure of families on leisure, transport, and housing increased after five decades. In other cases income spent less than before half a century, with one exception of a household class which remained unchanged.

In 1968, the highest proportion of weekly income was spent on food, with 35%, followed by housing and clothing, each with a 20% share. Additionally, the share of leisure accounted for 9% as compared to transport, personal goods, and household goods with 8% for each category. Fuel and power had the least proportion, around 6%.

In 2018, there was a significant decrease of spent income on food from 35% in 1968 to around 16% after five decades. Moreover, leisure accounted for around 22%, as compared to housing and transport with around 20% and around 15%, respectively. Furthermore, personal goods and fuel had a joint share of around 5% each. In the end, clothing had a share of 5%, while the household goods share remained unchanged after fifty years with around 8%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key features of the chart, including the significant shift in food expenditure and the rise in leisure spending. You successfully identified the main trends and made relevant comparisons between the two years. However, the overview is slightly imprecise; for instance, stating that 'income spent less than before' is grammatically awkward and vague. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview captures the most significant trends (e.g., the dramatic decline in food spending versus the rise in leisure) more clearly. The data is generally accurate, though the grouping of categories in the summary could be more analytical to better highlight the contrast between the two periods.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on 1968 and 2018 respectively. Cohesive devices such as 'additionally', 'moreover', and 'furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'In other cases income spent less than before half a century'. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns or references clearly point back to the subject matter would enhance the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'expenditure', 'proportion', and 'category'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'income spent less' is an incorrect way to describe spending habits, and 'household class' is not the appropriate term for a spending category. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to data description, such as 'expenditure on food plummeted' or 'accounted for a significant share'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'income spent less than before half a century' is syntactically incorrect, and 'the share of leisure accounted for 9% as compared to transport... with 8% for each category' is slightly clunky. There are also minor issues with preposition usage and article placement. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the structure of comparative sentences to ensure they are grammatically sound and natural-sounding.

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

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