Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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 compares weekly income that is spent by families in one country in 1968 and 2018. The graph shows weekly income spent on 8 different kinds of essential things of life including foods, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footware, Household goods and so on.

Overall, it can be seen that in 1968, most of the weeekly funds have been spent on foods. On the other hand, in 2018, Leasure requires alot of weekly income than others.

Talking in the details, in 1968, 35% weekly income spent on foods which is the most highest. Meanwhile, Housing and colthing and footware requires about 10% of the fund followed by leisure require 8% of amount.

In addition to, Transport, Personal goods and household goods needs almost equal amount of income which is 7%. At the end, fuel and power requires the least amount which is about 6%.

Alternatively, In 2018, 22% of weekly income spent on leisure whivh is the highest followed by

the Housing, requiring 19%. Food required 17% of weekly income. Beside this, 14% of weekly funds spent on transport . Whereas, household goods, clothing and footware, fuel and power and personal goods need least amount of fund.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s main contrast: food takes the largest share in 1968, while leisure is highest in 2018. You also report several relevant figures, including food at 35% in 1968 and leisure, housing and food at 22%, 19% and 17% in 2018. However, some details are inaccurate: leisure in 1968 is 9%, not 8%, and transport, personal goods and household goods are 8% each, rather than about 7%. The final comparison groups four 2018 categories as the least without giving their figures, although household goods is 8% and the other three are 5%, 4% and 4%. A more complete overview and more precise comparisons would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the two years. This helps the reader follow the broad comparison, and transitions such as “On the other hand” and “Alternatively” signal a change in focus. However, the progression within the detail paragraphs is sometimes unclear, and several linking phrases are awkward or mechanical, including “Talking in the details,” “In addition to,” and “At the end.” The final sentence also groups several categories together without clarifying their relative values. Organise each year’s figures in a consistent order, and use simpler links such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile” only where they clarify a comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “weekly income,” “followed by,” “requires,” and “the highest,” so the main information is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate: “essential things of life” is imprecise for spending categories, and “requires” is repeatedly used where “accounted for” or “was spent on” would be more natural. Spelling errors such as “weeekly,” “Leasure,” “whivh,” and “footware” are noticeable, while “foods” is not the natural label for this category. Aim for accurate, varied reporting language and check spelling carefully; this will make the description more precise and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, errors occur often in basic sentence patterns and agreement. For example, “35% weekly income spent on foods” needs a verb and an article or possessive (“35% of weekly income was spent on food”), while “Housing and colthing and footware requires” has a plural subject that does not agree with “requires.” The sentence beginning “Whereas” is also left as a fragment, and “in 2018, 22% of weekly income spent” repeats the missing-verb problem. Practise complete clauses, subject–verb agreement, and consistent past-tense reporting; these corrections would improve accuracy without requiring more complicated structures.

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