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)

The bar chart prodives, information about the weekly spent of income in a country. It indicates how families choose differently to spend percentage of their income in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, in 1968 families used to sepnd more portion of their salary on food than on any other activities, whereas in 2018 spending on leisure was increased. In other categories also, this trend seems reversed between this period. But in household goods expenditure in both years looks similar.

1968- Alomst 35% comes for food then housing, clothing and footware is 10%, transportation, leisurea and personal goods in between 5-10% least spent was on fuel and power.

2018- Food is in between 15-20%, housing spent is second that is approx 19%, most of the weekly income goes to leisure that is 22-23% and other s

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast: food took the largest share in 1968, while leisure was highest in 2018, and you note that household-goods spending was similar. Several figures are broadly accurate, including food at about 35% in 1968 and housing at around 19% in 2018. However, the response is incomplete: the final sentence breaks off at “and other s,” leaving the 2018 comparisons unfinished, and several categories are grouped vaguely rather than reported clearly. The overview’s claim that the trend was “reversed” in other categories is also too general; for example, household goods stayed level, while transport rose. The response is 15 words below the required minimum. Complete the comparisons and report the main rises and falls more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure, with an introduction, an overview, and separate sections for the two years. This helps the reader recognise the intended comparison. However, progression is limited: the year-by-year listing does not consistently connect figures or explain how categories changed between the dates. The transition “But in household goods…” is useful, but “In other categories also, this trend seems reversed” is unclear because it does not specify which categories or what changed. The final 2018 paragraph ends abruptly, disrupting the flow. Use complete paragraphs and organise the details around clear comparisons—for example, categories that fell, those that rose, and the one that remained stable—with accurate linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “expenditure,” “weekly income,” and “least spent,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning harder to follow. Examples include “weekly spent of income,” “families choose differently to spend percentage,” and “housing spent is second”; more natural phrasing would be “weekly household spending,” “the proportion of income allocated,” and “housing accounted for the second-largest share.” There are also noticeable spelling errors such as “prodives,” “sepnd,” “Alomst,” and “footware.” Aim for precise terms such as “share,” “accounted for,” “rose,” and “declined,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and a more complex contrast, as in “Overall, in 1968 … whereas in 2018…”. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors frequently affect clarity. For example, “families choose differently to spend percentage of their income” lacks a clear grammatical construction, while “housing, clothing and footware is 10%” has a subject–verb agreement problem and an unclear list. The phrase “most of the weekly income goes to leisure that is 22-23%” also needs clearer sentence structure and punctuation. The response relies heavily on fragments and compressed lists, particularly in the year-by-year sections. Practise complete sentences with accurate articles, agreement, and punctuation, and vary the structures used to compare figures.

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.