Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
(Task - 1)
The bar graph provides information about how families in one country spent their weekly income including Food, housing, fuel and power and other utilities. There is comparison between 1968 and 2018.
Overall, Food is accounted for largest proportion in year 1968 nineteen sixty eight whereas food has lowest proportion in coming years. Additionally, Household goods, personal goods and transport these utilities are similar to each other in nineteen sixty eight.
Initially, food proportion has decreased consequently, transport and leisure increased in 2018 as compare to year 1968. Moreover, proportion of housing expenditure figured out least proportion in 1968, whereas, housing increased in 2018 which stood between range 15 to 20.
Furthermore, household goods remain same in both years. The proportion of fuel and power stood at nearest 5% of weekly income, however, in 2018 expenditure of household goods has more decreased. The proportion of personal goods in year 2018 approximately figured lowest proportion than other
expenditure. Whereas, fuel and power in
2018 also similar to preeportion of
personal goods.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, noting that food was the highest expenditure in 1968 and decreased significantly by 2018, while leisure and housing increased. An overview is attempted at the beginning of the second paragraph, though it contains some inaccuracies (e.g., stating food has the lowest proportion in coming years instead of 2018). While some key comparisons are made, the selection of data is occasionally imprecise, and the details regarding certain categories like personal goods and fuel/power are muddled or repetitious. The overall task is addressed, but development and data reporting lack precision, placing it at a Band 5.5 level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression and overall flow are frequently disrupted by awkward transitions and confusing statements. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or inappropriately, such as 'Initially, food proportion has decreased consequently, transport and leisure increased', which misuses chronological signposting. Furthermore, referencing is unclear in places (e.g., 'these utilities are similar to each other'), and the abrupt fragmentation of sentences at the end of the text severely harms the cohesion and visual structure of the writing. Paragraphing is attempted but lacks clear internal coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with frequent reliance on words like 'proportion', 'expenditure', and 'utility'. There are noticeable word choice and spelling errors, such as writing 'preeportion' instead of 'proportion' and awkward phrasing like 'housing expenditure figured out least proportion'. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic trends, the range is restricted, and inaccuracies in collocation and word formation prevent the achievement of a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('Food is accounted for largest proportion'), tense confusion ('food has lowest proportion in coming years'), and awkward passive/active confusions ('expenditure of household goods has more decreased'). Punctuation and sentence boundaries are also mishandled towards the end, resulting in fragmented sentences ('Whereas, fuel and power in 2018 also similar to preeportion of personal goods'). These errors cause some difficulty for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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