Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-16

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 illustrates how the families of one country spent their average weekly income in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, the bar graph shows that different types of expenditure like food or household goods. The household goods was same in both years. The highest of 1968 was food in contrast highest of 2018 was leisure.

Looking on the details, we have eight type of expenditure but the food was on the peak with 35% in 1968 whereas, the food was on roughly 17% in 2018 that's the big difference. But the household goods was common between 1968 and 2018 because in both years the households goods was on approximately 8%. The highest proportion of 2018 was leisure with 22%. In contrast, the lowest point was fuel and power or personal goods because this two standing on the same point with 4%. The main point of this bar graph was that the expense of housing and clothing was same in 1968 with 10%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast between the years: food is the largest category in 1968, while leisure is largest in 2018, and you correctly note that household goods stayed at about 8%. You also report several relevant figures, including food at 35% and 17%, and leisure at 22%. However, the overview is incomplete and partly unclear: it does not summarise the broader shift from food and clothing towards housing, transport and leisure. Some comparisons are omitted, and the statement that fuel and personal goods are the lowest in 2018 overlooks clothing at 5% as a lower category than fuel and personal goods at 4% only if considering the exact values; the figures themselves are broadly accurate. Develop the overview and select key changes more systematically.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph of details. The reader can follow the main points, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In contrast” help signal relationships. However, progression is sometimes mechanical, with repeated use of “the highest” and “in contrast,” and the overview moves abruptly from household goods to the highest categories. The final sentence introduces the equal 1968 figures for housing and clothing without linking them clearly to the preceding comparisons. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, as in “this two standing on the same point.” Group the figures by meaningful patterns—such as categories that rose, fell or remained stable—and use clearer links between those groups.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “expenditure,” “approximately” and “highest,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are unnatural or imprecise, such as “on the peak,” “common between” and “lowest point.” “The expense of housing and clothing was same” also uses an awkward phrase for comparing chart categories. There are spelling and word-form issues, including “footware” in the task wording if reproduced, and repeated reliance on “bar graph” and “point.” Aim for accurate collocations such as “accounted for,” “stood at,” “the largest share” and “remained unchanged.” More precise verbs and varied comparison language would make the report clearer and more appropriate to an academic summary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a comparison with “whereas” and a reason introduced by “because.” However, control is uneven, and some sentence structures are faulty or incomplete. For example, “Overall, the bar graph shows that different types of expenditure like food or household goods” lacks a complete main idea, while “The household goods was same” has agreement and article problems. In “because this two standing on the same point,” the demonstrative and verb form are incorrect. Punctuation also needs attention: the comma after “whereas” interrupts the comparison, and several long sentences would be clearer if divided. Practise complete clauses, subject–verb agreement, plural forms and accurate sentence boundaries before adding more complex structures.

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