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, the 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 in 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

The response covers all key features of the chart, providing a clear overview and supporting details for both years. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the significant decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure costs. However, the overview is slightly imprecise; stating that 'income consumed less' is a bit vague, as the chart tracks expenditure proportions rather than income levels. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview highlights the most striking differences, such as the shift from food being the primary expense to leisure taking that spot. Overall, the information is accurate and well-selected.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. Each paragraph focuses on a specific time period, which makes the information easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'In 1968', 'Additionally', and 'In 2018' to transition between ideas effectively. The progression of information is logical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases further and ensure that comparisons between the two years are more explicitly connected within the body paragraphs rather than just listing data for each year separately.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'highest proportion', 'significant decrease', and 'remained unchanged' are used appropriately. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'income consumed less', which is slightly unnatural in this context. You have successfully used some less common vocabulary, but to reach a higher band, aim for more sophisticated collocations and precise terminology related to statistical trends, such as 'expenditure plummeted' or 'accounted for a marginal share'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy reading. There are occasional minor grammatical slips, such as 'data related to families who spent their weekly income', which is slightly awkward; 'data regarding the proportion of weekly income spent by families' would be more precise. Punctuation is generally accurate. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as using participial phrases or relative clauses to combine data points more fluidly.

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