Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

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 consumed less than before half a century, with one exception of a household with the same proportion after fifty years.

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 lowest proportion, around 6%.

In 2018, there was a significant decrease of spending on food from 35% in 1968 to around 16% after five decades. Leisure accounted for around 22%, as compared to housing and transport with around 20% and around 15%, respectively. Personal goods and fuel had a joint share of around 5% each. 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 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You highlighted the significant shift in food expenditure and noted the stability of household goods. However, the overview is slightly imprecise; for instance, stating that 'in other cases income consumed less' is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, ensure that your comparisons are more precise and that you consistently distinguish between the categories. You covered all parts of the task well, and the data selection is relevant and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In 1968', 'In 2018', and 'as compared to' effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods. The progression of ideas is clear, although some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow between sentences. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'expenditure', 'proportion', and 'category' correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'income consumed less', which sounds slightly unnatural. While you attempt to use varied vocabulary, it remains somewhat functional. To improve, try to incorporate more precise reporting verbs or adjectives to describe the changes, such as 'plummeted', 'surged', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'In 2018, there was a significant decrease of spending on food from 35% in 1968 to around 16% after five decades.' While most sentences are clear, there are occasional minor errors, such as 'with one exception of a household with the same proportion', which is slightly awkward. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is generally accurate. Increasing the variety of complex structures would further enhance this score.

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

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