Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-20

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 5.5)

The given bar chart provides data about the weekly expenditures of families in a country in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, the families' expenses on housing, transport and leisure increased in the mentioned period, while their spending on all other items decreased in this period, except for household items which remained constant.

In 1968, the families were spending just over one-third of their weekly income on food; however, it reduced to just under one-fifth in 2018. Their expenses for petrol and electricity, and personal items were just above 5 per cent in 1968, which dipped below 5 per cent in 2018. Their weekly spend on fashion was one-tenth in 1968, and dropped to 5 per cent in 1968. Their weekly expenses on household goods remained plateaued from 1968 to 2018. On the other hand, their expenses rose in terms of housing, transport and leisure

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student has attempted to cover the main features of the chart, providing a clear overview that highlights the increases in housing, transport, and leisure, and decreases in most other categories. Key data points are cited, such as food dropping from over a third to under a fifth, and household goods remaining constant. However, there is a minor contradiction and slip in the reporting of clothing and footwear, where the writer states it dropped to 5 per cent in 1968 instead of 2018. Additionally, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement at 144 words, which has a minor restrictive impact on Task Achievement. Nevertheless, the main trends and comparisons are adequately identified and supported with figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is arranged logically with a clear introduction, an overall summary statement, and body sentences that discuss the data categories. Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'however', 'on the other hand', and 'in terms of' are used to connect ideas and contrast the trends between 1968 and 2018. Paragraphing is minimal, as the text is presented in a very short structure resembling a single block or two tiny paragraphs, which limits the effectiveness of visual organisation. Referencing is generally clear, though the abrupt ending without a final concluding sentence slightly detracts from the overall progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The lexical resource is adequate for the task. The student successfully uses a range of vocabulary related to data reporting, such as 'expenditures', 'remained constant', 'dipped', and 'plateaued'. There are some successful paraphrases of the chart categories, such as 'fashion' for clothing and footwear, and 'petrol and electricity' for fuel and power. However, there are minor awkward collocations or lexical choices, such as 'expenses for petrol and electricity', and a typo/slip where 'fashion' spending dropped to 5 per cent in 1968 instead of 2018. Overall, vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, though it does not reach the flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using relative clauses and subordinate clauses effectively (e.g., 'The given bar chart provides data about...'). There is good control over tense usage when comparing past data in 1968 with the data from 2018. Grammatical accuracy is generally high, with only a few minor issues, such as the incomplete final sentence ('On the other hand, their expenses rose in terms of housing, transport and leisure') which trails off without punctuation or completion. However, the majority of sentences are error-free and communication is never impeded.

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

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