Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-28

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 6.0)

The bar graph delineates the information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018. Overall, a large 35% of income was spent on food in 1968. On the other hand, only 4% percent was spent on personal goods in 2018, and same percentage was spent on fuel and power in 4 percent. These are the highest and lowest figures in the graph.

Food is the main item as depicted in the bar chart. In 1968, 35% of weekly income was spent on food, while this percentage dropped to almost 17% in 2018. Housing is another prominent factor in the graph. In 1968, 10% of weekly income was spent on housing. In 2018, this expenditure on housing increased to 18%.

The expenditures on fuel and power, clothing, footware, household goods, personal goods, and transport showed slight variations in percentage. Only noticable rise was observed in the spending on the leisure activities. In 1968, only 9% of weekly income was consumed by leisure activities, it increased remarkably to 23% in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student covers all parts of the task by reporting key features and making comparisons between 1968 and 2018. An overview is attempted in the first paragraph, identifying extreme values correctly such as food in 1968 and personal goods/fuel in 2018. Main trends are supported by accurate data from the chart (e.g., food dropping from 35% to 17%, leisure rising to 22% or 23%). However, there is a minor error in stating 'and same percentage was spent on fuel and power in 4 percent', which is somewhat confused grammatically. Overall, the task is addressed well, positioning the writer within the Band 7 range for selecting and highlighting key features appropriately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The report has a clear logical organization with an introduction, body paragraphs dedicated to major categories, and appropriate paragraphing. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'while', and 'In 1968' are used to sequence information and guide the reader through comparisons. However, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical due to repetitive sentence starters. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraph transitions could be smoother to achieve a higher band score. The logical progression is maintained throughout, satisfying the Band 7 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe visual data, using words such as 'delineates', 'prominent factor', 'expenditure', and 'variations'. Less common lexical items are attempted, though with some minor inaccuracies, such as the awkward phrasing 'same percentage was spent on fuel and power in 4 percent' and a spelling error ('noticable'). Word choice is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be communicated clearly without severe strain, placing the response solidly at Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating subordinate clauses effectively (e.g., 'while this percentage dropped to almost 17% in 2018'). There are some grammatical errors, such as 'delineates the information about how families...' and the confusing syntax in 'same percentage was spent on fuel and power in 4 percent'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. The control of grammar aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors.

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.