Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-09

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 4.0)

The bar chart illustrates the information about how families in one country allocated their weekly income between 1968 and 2018.

Overall, families expended the highest income in food about 30% and lowest invested in approximately 7% to fuel and power in 1968. They devoted income leisure in 23% are the higest values in 2018 .

The families disbursed income in leisure abut 9% and after constant values in three proportion but steadily high in cloting and footware next the income spended ratio rises in 1968 about in food approximately . On the other hand , In 2018 the ratio of income invest in families in lower rates . They were spent the largest in 23% over the graph but are the minimum value in personal goods and fuel power and after steadily managed . The families spent their weekly income are the maximum in 1968 and the minimunm in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to address the task by comparing spending in 1968 and 2018. However, the information is presented in a confusing and fragmented manner. While some main features are mentioned, such as food spending in 1968 and leisure in 2018, the data is often inaccurate or poorly described (e.g., 'constant values in three proportion'). The summary lacks a clear overview of the significant shifts in spending patterns, and the lack of clarity in reporting the figures makes it difficult for the reader to follow the trends. The response fails to provide a coherent comparison between the two years.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The essay lacks logical organization and progression. The sentences are disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is either missing or misused, such as the awkward transition 'On the other hand, In 2018'. Paragraphing is not used effectively to separate the overview from the supporting details. The referencing is unclear, making it difficult to determine which data points are being compared. The overall structure is weak, and the flow of information is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors and confusing phrasing.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is limited and often used incorrectly. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'expended the highest income in food' and 'invested in approximately 7% to fuel'. The student relies on repetitive and basic vocabulary. Some words are misspelled (e.g., 'cloting', 'footware', 'minimunm'), and the phrasing is often unnatural, which impedes the reader's understanding of the data. A wider range of precise vocabulary related to trends and statistics is required to improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often distort the intended meaning. Sentence structures are simple and often incomplete or poorly constructed, such as 'The families spent their weekly income are the maximum in 1968'. There are significant issues with verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and preposition usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with spaces placed incorrectly before commas. The lack of control over basic sentence structure makes the text difficult to read and significantly impacts the clarity of the report.

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