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 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 categories, the proportion of income spent is lower than it was before, with one exception of a household category 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 10% 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 each held a share of around 5%. Clothing had a share of 5%, while the household goods share remained stable after fifty years with around 8%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers the requirements of the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons between 1968 and 2018. You successfully highlighted the significant shift in food expenditure and the growth in leisure spending. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurate; for instance, you mentioned housing increased, but the chart shows it remained relatively stable or saw only a minor shift depending on the specific interpretation. Overall, the information is well-selected and the key trends are clearly reported.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'additionally', 'in contrast', and 'as compared to' effectively to link information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods. The referencing is generally clear, though some transitions could be slightly more varied to enhance the flow. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision, using terms like 'expenditure', 'proportion', 'stable', and 'significant decrease'. The vocabulary is appropriate for an academic report. While the range is adequate, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication, and the language used is natural and fits the context of describing statistical data well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your control over grammar is generally strong, with few errors. Most sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly. You successfully used comparative structures, such as 'as compared to' and 'with one exception of', which adds variety to your writing. While the range of structures is good, incorporating a few more advanced grammatical forms, such as passive voice or more varied subordinate clauses, would further demonstrate your flexibility and accuracy, potentially pushing the score higher.

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

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