Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07

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 4.5)

The bar show illustrated that how families spent their weekly salary on different spots in 1968 and in 2018.

The noticeable feature, food was largest share for spending money while fuel and power was lowest share in 1968. On the other hand, in 2018 large percentage of their weekly income spend on leisure. However, small portion of weekly salary spent on fuel, power and personal goods.

if we discuss in detail, in 1968 their will be 35% of

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify two important features accurately: food is the largest category in 1968, and leisure is the largest in 2018; you also note that fuel and power is among the smallest categories. However, the response is only a minimal summary and ends mid-sentence at “in 1968 their will be 35% of,” so most categories and the main changes between years are not reported. The chart shows, for example, food falling from about 35% to 17%, while housing and leisure rise, and transport also increases. The required minimum length is not met, which leaves the task substantially incomplete. To improve, provide a complete overview and compare several key figures across both years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence is followed by a short overview, then a move towards detailed figures. Phrases such as “On the other hand” and “if we discuss in detail” signal relationships between ideas. However, the response stops before the detail section develops, so there is no clear progression through the chart or a concluding comparison. The contrast marker “On the other hand” is also not fully supported by a developed comparison. Use separate paragraphs for the introduction, overview and selected details, and group related categories—for example, those that rose and those that fell. Complete each sentence and use references such as “this figure” only when the category is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “largest share,” “percentage,” “weekly income” and “small portion,” which helps communicate the general subject. However, the range is limited, and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “different spots” is unsuitable for spending categories, while “weekly salary” is less precise than the chart’s “weekly income.” “The noticeable feature” is also an awkward way to introduce an overview, and “fuel, power” should be expressed as the chart label “fuel and power.” Aim for precise terms such as “category,” “proportion,” “accounted for” and “rose/fell.” This would make comparisons clearer and reduce the effort required to interpret your meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a few sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “On the other hand,” but control is inconsistent and the range remains limited. In “The bar show illustrated that how families spent,” the subject–verb form and sentence construction are faulty; “that how” is not needed. In “food was largest share,” an article is missing, and “fuel and power was” has a singular verb with a plural subject. The phrase “in 1968 their will be 35% of” also has an incorrect verb form and is left incomplete, making the intended statement difficult to follow. Practise complete, accurate comparison sentences, such as “Food accounted for 35% in 1968, compared with 17% in 2018,” before attempting longer structures.

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

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