Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

As the chart portrays that how the families spent their weekly incomes . We can observe that at the early times in 1968 most of the families incomes were spent on food items which was 35% . That was very much larger quantity in comparison with near about 17% in 2018. If we take a look at chart then we can also observe that less income was spent on other items at early times in comparison with today's era . If we look at leisure then most of today's income is spent on it which is near about 22% as compared to only 7-8% in 1968. There are some household goods in which families spent equal amount of income at early times and in the continuing era which is near about 6-7%. But with the passage of time the families income was largely used in transportation and housing facilities. However beside this at early times more income was spent on persnol goods and fuel in comparison with today's era .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response identifies some key features, such as the decline in food expenditure and the rise in leisure spending. However, it fails to provide a clear overview or a structured summary of the data. The analysis is somewhat superficial, and the comparison between the two years is inconsistent. For instance, the mention of 'other items' is vague, and the report lacks a clear distinction between categories that increased and those that decreased. To improve, you should group the data logically (e.g., categories that increased vs. those that decreased) and ensure all major trends are highlighted clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is written as a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow. There is a lack of logical progression; the ideas jump between categories without a clear structure. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'But', they are often used incorrectly or in a way that does not effectively link the ideas. The referencing is also weak, making it hard for the reader to track the comparisons being made. Using clear paragraphing—an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs—would significantly improve the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'early times' and 'today's era' are used repeatedly, which makes the writing sound unnatural. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'very much larger quantity' instead of 'a significantly higher percentage'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the data with precision. To reach a higher band, you should use more varied and precise terminology related to statistics and trends, such as 'proportion', 'expenditure', 'fluctuated', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with sentence structure, such as the opening sentence: 'As the chart portrays that how the families spent their weekly incomes.' This is a fragment and grammatically incorrect. Additionally, there are errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'families spent equal amount' (should be 'an equal amount') and 'in the continuing era'. The range of sentence structures is limited, relying mostly on simple or poorly constructed complex sentences.

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