Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-29

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 changes in the proportion of weekly expenditure by families in a particular country across eight categories, namely food, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footwear, household goods, personal goods, transport, and leisure, between 1968 and 2018.

Overall, it is evident that the figures varied considerably across the categories, with some recording substantially higher figures, while another registered the lowest figure. Food had the highest proportion in the first year, whereas personal goods accounted for the lowest level in the final year.

Looking at the details, in 1968, leisure expenditure stood at approximately 8%, while three categories, namely transport, personal goods, and household goods, represented roughly 7% each in the same year. Furthermore, clothing and footwear and housing expenditure recorded the second-highest figure, at precisely 10% in 1968. Meanwhile, food spending recorded the greatest proportion at exactly 35% in the first year.

Looking most closely at the data, in 2018, leisure expenditure registered the highest figure, at slightly above 22%.  Similarly, housing recorded the second-largest proportion, at nearly 18% in the final year. In contrast, spending on personal goods and fuel and power remained relatively the same to roughly 4% in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview and highlighting key trends and figures across the given categories for 1968 and 2018. The main features are appropriately selected and reported, such as noting that food accounted for the highest proportion in 1968 (35%) and leisure became the highest in 2018 (22%). However, there are a few minor inaccuracies in data reporting compared to the source chart; for instance, the student states leisure expenditure in 1968 was approximately 8% (whereas the chart shows 9%) and that clothing and housing were precisely 10% (housing is actually 10%, but clothing and footwear is also around 10%). Despite these slight reading discrepancies, the response provides a well-developed summary with clear comparisons throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organized logically with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory paragraph paraphrasing the prompt, followed by a general overview, and then moves into detailed body paragraphs comparing the two years. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the data, with phrases like "Looking at the details", "Furthermore", and "In contrast". Paragraphing is handled appropriately, ensuring each section serves a distinct purpose. However, referencing can occasionally feel slightly repetitive or mechanical in the way data points are introduced consecutively, but this does not disrupt the overall flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task, successfully incorporating terms such as "proportion", "expenditure", "substantially", and "accounted for". Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation, as seen in phrases like "greatest proportion" and "second-largest proportion". There are occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice or precise phrasing, but these do not impede communication. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, demonstrating control over grammatical forms. The student successfully utilizes subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as "illustrating changes in the proportion..." and "with some recording substantially higher figures". There are frequent error-free sentences, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout. While some complex structures are slightly repetitive in their formulation, grammatical errors are minimal and do not interfere with the clarity of the message.

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

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