Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The chart provides information about how families in one country spent their weekly income on eight different items in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, families spent the largest amount of their money on food in 1968, while leisure was the biggest expense in 2018. However, families spent the least amount of their money on fuel and power in 1968, while personal goods and fuel and power had the smallest expense in 2018.

In 1968, about 35% of weekly income was spent on food. This was much higher than housing, clothing and footwear, which were both around 10%. Fuel and power accounted for 6%, while household, personal and transport were each close to 8%. Leisure made up to approximately 9% of income.

In 2018, leisure became the largest expense of weekly income to around 22%, while housing is the second highest expense at around 19%. Food accounted for 17% and transport accounted for 14% respectively. Household goods fell to 7%, while clothing and footwear decreased to around 5%. In contrast, fuel and power and personal goods both were around 4% approximately.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an accurate summary of the main features in 1968 and 2018. An overview is present, highlighting the shifts in major expenses such as food and leisure. Key data points are correctly reported, for instance, food at 35% in 1968 and leisure at approximately 22% in 2018. The comparisons between categories are logical and grounded in the visual data. The response meets all requirements for Task Achievement at a Band 7.0 level, as it effectively selects and reports key information while making relevant comparisons throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introduction, followed by a general overview paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs for each year. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods. Cohesive devices are generally well managed, with phrases like 'Overall', 'In 1968', and 'In contrast' helping to guide the reader through the data. However, some transitions could be smoother, and referencing is occasionally slightly repetitive. Overall, the organizational structure satisfies the Band 7 criteria for clear logical organization and progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to data reporting such as 'accounted for', 'expense', and 'percentage'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though phraseology can be somewhat repetitive (e.g., repeating 'weekly income' and 'expense'). Word choice is generally appropriate, with minor inaccuracies like 'personal goods and fuel and power had the smallest expense in 2018' where phrasing could be refined. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout, supporting clear communication and justifying a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including comparative structures and dependent clauses (e.g., 'while leisure was the biggest expense in 2018' and 'This was much higher than housing'). Grammatical control is generally strong, with frequent error-free sentences. Minor lapses occur, such as tense inconsistency in a descriptive context ('while housing is the second highest expense') where past tense should be maintained consistently for historical chart data. Punctuation is sound, and errors do not impede communication, comfortably placing this in the Band 7 range.

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