Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-14

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 6.5)

The given bar chart provides information about how families spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, families mostly spent their money on daily needs like food or transport. In the modern era, leisure accounted for the highest percentage of weekly income. On the other hand, food accounted for the largest proportion in the past.

As is shown in the graph, the average weekly spending by families on food was over 35% in 1968, but in 2018 the percentage of spending decreased dramatically to over 17%. Housing had about 10% in 1968 and increased to just over 19% in 2018. Families' average weekly spending on fuel and power was the lowest among the others with just about 6% and 4% in 1968 and 2018, respectively. Clothing and footwear had over 10% in 1968, and decreased to 5% in 2018.

The average weekly spending by families for household goods was over 7% in 1968 and did not change thereafter. Personal goods also had about 7% in 1968, but in 2018 they declined to over 4%. Transport also had just over 7% like the last two models in 1968, and had increased significantly to about 14%. In addition, the families spent on leisure about 7% of income, and the percentage grew sharply to over 22% in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview and reporting the main features of the chart comparing 1968 and 2018. The student highlights key trends, such as the dramatic decrease in spending on food from over 35% to 17%, and the sharp rise in leisure spending to over 22%. Relevant comparisons are made throughout the text, for instance noting that food was the highest category in the past whereas leisure took the top spot in the modern era. All main data categories are touched upon, meeting the Band 7 criteria for addressing all parts of the task with a clear overview and well-selected supporting data points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response presents a clear overall progression and logical organization. It begins with an introductory statement, moves into a well-crafted overview paragraph, and then breaks down the specific details across subsequent paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'As is shown in the graph', and 'In addition' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively, separating the general trends from specific statistical breakdowns, aligning well with the requirements for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, employing terms such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'decreased dramatically', and 'grew sharply'. There are attempts to use less common phrasing like 'average weekly spending' and 'highest percentage'. While some phrasings feel slightly repetitive or mechanical (e.g., repeating 'had about' or 'had just over'), the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information accurately. Spelling and word choice errors are minimal and do not impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0 with elements approaching higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms quite effectively, incorporating subordinate clauses such as 'As is shown in the graph, the average weekly spending by families on food was over 35% in 1968, but in 2018 the percentage of spending decreased dramatically...'. Grammatical control is generally good, with accurate use of past and present tense structures when contrasting the two years. Punctuation is also well-managed. Although there are minor awkward phrasings like 'Housing had about 10%', these do not impede communication, and the frequency of error-free sentences supports a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.