Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05

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 compares the average weekly spending of families in a country in 1968 and fifty years later in 2018.

Overall, food was the most prominent part of weekly spending in 1968, and the lowest percentage was used by fuel and power. However, in 2018, people spent more on leisure.

In 1968, spending on food was 35% of total weekly income, while in 2018, it decreased to approximately 17%, half of the percentage spent in the past. Moreover, in 1968, fuel and power consumed the lowest weekly income, and spending on personal goods, and household goods remained at 7%, while on transport expenses were quite higher. Additionally, spending on housing was 10 to 12%, on clothing and footwear, 10% of weekly income was used, while leisure consumed 8% of total income.

In 2018, expenses on leisure were the greatest (22%). In addition to this, weekly expense on housing increased to 16% compared to 1968. The percentage of weekly income utilized for personal goods, fuel and power were the same at approximately 4%. The proportion of household goods spending remained the same. The spending on food, clothing and footwear, decreased to 16% and 5% respectively, while that of transport rose to 14%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main trends and makes relevant comparisons between the two years. You have highlighted the shift from food to leisure as the primary expenditure, which is a key feature. However, the report could be improved by grouping data more logically. For instance, you mention transport and housing in the first body paragraph but then return to them in the second. A more effective approach would be to group categories by those that increased, decreased, or remained stable. Additionally, ensure all data points are accurate; for example, you mention 'personal goods' and 'fuel and power' were both 4% in 2018, but the chart shows them as distinct values. Overall, the task is well-addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition to this', and 'while' to connect ideas. However, the progression of information within the second paragraph feels slightly cluttered. Some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the referencing of categories could be smoother to avoid repetitive sentence structures. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods, which helps the reader follow the comparison. To reach a higher band, focus on creating a more seamless flow between sentences rather than listing data points.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'most prominent part', 'consumed the lowest weekly income', and 'proportion of weekly income utilized' show a good grasp of academic tone. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'transport expenses were quite higher' (should be 'higher') and 'the lowest percentage was used by fuel and power' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). You avoid repetition by using synonyms like 'spending', 'expenses', and 'proportion'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to statistical trends, such as 'a significant decline' or 'a marginal increase'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'on transport expenses were quite higher' (unnecessary 'on') and 'the percentage of weekly income utilized for personal goods, fuel and power were the same' (subject-verb agreement error: 'was' should be used). Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the punctuation is generally accurate. To achieve a higher band, aim for more error-free complex sentences and ensure that your subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the report.

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

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