Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-16

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 bar chart illustrates how people spent their weekly salaries on various expenditures (food, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footwear, household goods, personal goods, transport, and leisure) in 1968 and 2018. The money used is expressed as a percentage of weekly income.

Overall, in earlier times, people spent most of their money on food, whereas in modern times, a major proportion is spent on leisure activities. Fuel and power constituted the smallest share of weekly income in the late 20th century, and in the early 21st century, both personal goods and fuel and power have the smallest share. The share for household goods has remained the same throughout these years.

In the year 1968, people spent 35% of their money on food items, 10% was allocated for accommodation, and another 10% for clothes and footwear. Leisure activities constituted 9% of weekly income. Personal goods accounted for 8%, and so did transportation and household goods. A proportion of 6% was needed for fuel and power.

In the early 20th century, people spent the highest share of their money on leisure (22%) and housing (19%), followed by food (17%). A decent amount of 14% was used for transport services and facilities and 8% for household goods. The smallest proportion of money was spent on outfits and footwear (5%), 4% on personal goods, and 4% on fuel and power.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of weekly spending in 1968 and 2018. An effective overview is provided, highlighting the shift from food to leisure as the primary expenditure, as well as notable trends like stable household goods and declining fuel and power. Specific data points, such as 35% for food in 1968 and 22% for leisure in 2018, are accurately cited and compared. The response is fully grounded in the provided chart without any noticeable misinterpretations or omissions, easily fulfilling the requirements of a Band 7.0 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped sensibly into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and two detailed body paragraphs comparing the two years. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'overall', and 'followed by' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. However, referencing could be slightly more sophisticated to reach higher band levels. Overall, the structural flow is smooth and cohesive, warranting a solid Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task, incorporating terms like 'expenditures', 'proportion', 'allocated', and 'transportation'. There are attempts to vary phrasing rather than repeating the exact prompt language, using synonyms such as 'salaries' and 'accommodation'. Some less common lexical items are attempted, although occasional minor awkwardness exists, such as referring to 2018 as 'the early 20th century' (which is a factual/chronological slip rather than purely lexical, but affects precision). Nevertheless, the vocabulary is adequate and communicates meaning clearly, earning a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'The money used is expressed as a percentage...'). Grammatical control is generally strong, with frequent error-free sentences and correct punctuation. Minor slips occur, such as the chronological error in paragraph four stating 'the early 20th century' instead of the 21st century, which slightly detracts from precision. However, grammatical errors do not impede communication at all, supporting a Band 7.0 score.

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

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