Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 information illustrates that how weekly salaries are use by families in one country in 1968 and in2018.

Overall, It is clear that the rate of food, fuel and power, clothing nd footware, or personal goods follow the downward trend. Whereas the rate of household and goods remain constant. Remaining rates follow the development.

Spending on food by families was 35% in 1968 and then it went 17% in 2018. Use of Fuel and power was 7% in 1968 and 4% in 2018. Furthermore, clothing and footware rates were 10% in 1968 and went to 5% in 2018. Therefore, income used on personal and goods were 8% in 1968 and now in 2018 its 4%.

In contrast, the utilization of salaries on household goods remain equally same in 2018 as it was in 1968 with 8%. However, there is a significant change in the rate of leisure because it was 8% in 1968 and then went to 22% in 2018. Beside this, the average rate of housing and transport also increased considerably.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the downward trends in categories like food and the upward trends in leisure and housing. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, relying heavily on listing figures rather than synthesizing the data. For instance, the report on 'household goods' is inaccurate, as the chart shows a decrease from 1968 to 2018, not a constant rate. While the overview is present, it lacks a clear, high-level summary of the most significant shifts. To reach a higher band, you should focus on grouping data more effectively and ensuring the accuracy of your comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'In contrast', and 'However' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly repetitive or forced. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the categories that decreased to those that increased. To improve, ensure that your referencing is precise; for example, the phrase 'Remaining rates follow the development' is vague and does not clearly indicate which categories are being discussed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for a basic description of the trends. You use some topic-specific terms like 'utilization', 'expenditure' (implied), and 'significant change'. However, there are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'footware' (footwear), 'nd' (and), and 'equally same', which is redundant. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on simple verbs like 'went' or 'follow'. Expanding your range to include more precise verbs like 'plummeted', 'surged', or 'remained stable' would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'illustrates that how weekly salaries are use' (used) and 'income used on personal and goods were 8%'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are minor issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. The sentence structures are functional but lack the variety and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on eliminating basic errors in verb forms and prepositions will help improve your accuracy.

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

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