Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-09

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)

This chart shows how families spent theri weekly income in 1968 and in 2018. The chart tells us that what the weekly income was being spent on such as food, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footware, household goods and personal goods.

From the chart we can see that people in 1968 spent almost 50 percent of their income on foods, being the most money spent on. However the most money spent for year 2018 was for housing. The least money spent on factor for 1968 is fuel and power, moreover the least money spent on factor for 2018 is also fuel and power. Money spent on household goods was same for both year 1968 and 2018

In conclusion, the chart tells us that food was the main cost for families in 1968 whereas housing was the most costfull factor for 2018 families. Moreover, no change in money spent on household goods has been notices

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important features: food was the largest category in 1968, housing was the largest in 2018, fuel and power was the smallest in both years, and household-goods spending was unchanged. However, the claim that families spent “almost 50 percent” on food in 1968 is inaccurate; the chart shows about 35%. The response also omits key comparisons, including the substantial rise in leisure and housing and the fall in food spending. The opening lists only some categories and does not provide a clear overview of the main changes. To develop the report more fully, give accurate figures for selected categories and summarise the overall shift in spending between the two years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, moving from an introduction to comparisons and a concluding statement, and the reader can follow its main points. However, the progression is limited: the second paragraph presents a series of observations without grouping the major increases and decreases, while the conclusion largely repeats the same points. Linking expressions such as “However” and “moreover” are used, but they do not consistently clarify the relationship between ideas. The opening sentence also introduces the chart, then the next sentence repeats this function by saying what it “tells us.” Organise the body around clear comparisons—for example, categories that rose, fell, or stayed stable—and use referencing and transitions to connect those comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “weekly income,” “fuel and power,” and “household goods,” so the subject is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or unnatural, such as “most money spent on,” “least money spent on factor,” and “most costfull factor.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “theri,” “footware,” “costfull,” and “notices.” These reduce the precision and fluency of the report. Aim for concise chart language and accurate collocations, such as “accounted for the largest share,” “the smallest proportion,” and “remained unchanged.” Check spelling carefully, especially for words copied from the chart.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate the main comparisons using mostly simple sentence patterns, and some sentences are understandable, such as “Money spent on household goods was same for both year 1968 and 2018.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in sentence construction and grammatical forms. For example, “what the weekly income was being spent on” is an awkward embedded clause, while “was same” needs an article and “both year” requires a plural noun. The sentence beginning “From the chart we can see” also contains an unclear construction around “being the most money spent on.” Practise accurate comparative structures, such as “Spending on housing rose, whereas spending on food fell,” and check articles, plurals, and verb forms.

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.