Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-04
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 5.5)
The given bar chart depicts the information about money spent on essential things for a family in a week in year 1968 to 2018 . The data has been calibrated in percentage .
Overall it is crystal clear that highest value recorded by food in former year . However fuel , power and personal goods show similar trend in given time period .
At the glance , largest value recorded by food because huge money spent by people as 35% in year 1968 in year 2018 food become a half in contrast with first year only remain about 16 % . Where as in housing 10 % money was spent by people in year 1968 which will increase reach at 19% in year 2018 . While fuel clothing and household goods are ranging from 4 to 20 % respectively .
Moving ahead , in year 1968 people spent 8 % money on personal goods and in 2018 4% people spent money in last year . While in transport and leisure shows similar figure as 7% in year 1968 . in year 1968 only 13% of income spent on transport in last year . In last year 22% of people spent income on leisure
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the significant decline in food expenditure and the rise in housing costs. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student attempts to compare the two years but struggles with clarity, particularly when describing the data for transport and leisure. Some figures are presented in a confusing manner, such as the statement 'food become a half in contrast with first year only remain about 16%'. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the data and the somewhat disjointed comparison prevent this from reaching a higher band. The overview is present but lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the most significant changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the flow of ideas is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and a lack of effective cohesive devices. Transitions like 'Moving ahead' and 'At the glance' are used mechanically and do not always logically connect the sentences. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between 1968 and 2018. The progression of information is somewhat repetitive, and the lack of varied linking words makes the text feel disjointed rather than a cohesive report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'money spent', 'value', and 'things'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'data has been calibrated in percentage' and 'food become a half'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of precision and the limited range of vocabulary used to describe trends (e.g., 'increase reach at') restrict the score. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise verbs and nouns related to data analysis, such as 'expenditure', 'fluctuated', or 'accounted for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include missing articles ('in year 1968'), incorrect verb tenses ('food become a half'), and awkward sentence construction ('in year 1968 only 13% of income spent on transport in last year'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to cause difficulty for the reader and demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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