Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 provides information about the percentage of income which spent by family in food, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footware, household goods, personal goods, transport and leisure changed in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, it can be seen that spent weekly income by family in food, colthing and footware, personal goods, fuel and power incresed in 1968, whereas housing, transport, and leisure rose to 2018. Further, family spent weekly income for food was the maximum percentage in all over the period.

Looking at the data set in more details, it can be seen that spent weekly income by family for food stood at about 35% in 1968, which is the highest consumed in whole figure and it decresed to approxmately 17% while housing followed the opposite trend, it rising from 10% in 1968 and peak to around 18% in 2018. Followed by transport and leisure represent 18% and 22% in 2018 , it was the biggest consumed in 2018 figure also family member was spent half of the money in 1968.

Turning to remain data set, it can be seen that the percentage of income which spent by family for fuel and power was around 6% in 1968, it decresed to 3% in 2018, which was the lowest in all period. Family spent weekly income for clothing and footware, personal goods provide 10% and 7% in 1968 and it was fell to 5% and 4% in 2018, it's followed to dawn ward trend. Finally, household goods was remain stable at both period in 6%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important comparisons, including the fall in food spending from about 35% to 17%, the rise in housing, and the increase in leisure. However, the overview contains a major reversal: food, clothing, personal goods, and fuel did not increase in 1968; their shares were lower in 2018. The claim that food was the largest category throughout is also inaccurate, since leisure at 22% exceeded food at 17% in 2018. Some figures are misreported: transport was about 14%, not 18%, in 2018, and household goods remained at about 8%, not 6%. These inaccuracies and the unclear statement about spending “half of the money” limit the completeness and clarity of the summary. Prioritise an accurate overview and check each comparison against the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. The grouping of food and housing before the remaining categories gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression is weakened by unclear links and awkward transitions. For example, “Followed by transport and leisure represent 18% and 22%” does not clearly connect to the preceding comparison, and “it was the biggest consumed in 2018 figure” has an uncertain reference. The overview also conflicts with the details, making the argument harder to follow. Linking phrases such as “Turning to” and “Finally” are present, but they do not consistently clarify relationships. Group categories by rising, falling, or stable shares, and use clear references to each year and category.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “stood at,” “opposite trend,” and “stable,” so the topic is generally identifiable. However, the range is limited and several repeated or inaccurate expressions make the report less precise. Phrases such as “spent weekly income by family” and “biggest consumed” are unnatural for describing proportions, while “dawn ward trend” appears to be an incorrect form of “downward trend.” There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “colthing,” “incresed,” “decresed,” and “footware.” These issues sometimes make the reader work to understand the intended meaning. Build a small set of accurate chart collocations, such as “accounted for,” “the share allocated to,” and “rose/fell to,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and contrasts introduced by “whereas” and “while.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. For example, “the percentage of income which spent by family” is missing a verb form, and “it rising from 10% … and peak to around 18%” has inconsistent verb structures. Subject–verb agreement and tense are also unreliable in “household goods was remain stable” and “it was fell to 5%.” Several sentences run together, particularly the long comparison of food and housing, with punctuation that does not clearly separate the ideas. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build shorter sentences before combining them with clauses.

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