Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-21

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 chart below illustrates information about how families in one nation spent their weekly earning in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, in the year 1968, spending on food comprises largest proportion whereas expenditure on fuel and power lowest. In contrast leisure uphold highest value in the year 2018 but fuel and power remained lowest in both the years.

To begin with, spending on food by families used to be maximum with 35% in the year 1968, which dropped significantly 15 to 20 % by the year 2018. Followed by expenditure on housing, clothing and footwear which is 20 % in the year 1968. However families used to spend slightly less in the same year for leisure little lesser than 10%. Household goods, personal goods and transport uphold around 5 to 10% . Fuel and power account lowest proportion among all others.

However, in 2018, leisure account highest position with almost 20 to 25 % weekly income of the families. Followed by housing and food with 15 to 20 % respectively. Families spend their income'

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast: food takes the largest share in 1968, while leisure is highest in 2018, and fuel and power is the smallest category in both years. You also include several relevant figures, such as food at 35% in 1968 and the approximate 2018 shares for leisure and housing. However, some comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: housing and clothing are not both 20% in 1968 (each is about 10%), and the 2018 food figure is about 17%, rather than a clearly stated range of 15–20%. The report also stops before describing several 2018 categories, including transport and clothing. Give the key figures accurately and complete the comparison across the main categories to make the summary more fully informative.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for the two years. This helps the reader follow the broad comparison. However, progression within the detail paragraphs is uneven: the 1968 paragraph groups categories together without clearly distinguishing their values, and the final paragraph ends abruptly after “Families spend their income’,” leaving the 2018 account incomplete. Linking phrases such as “To begin with,” “Followed by,” and “However” are used, but some do not clearly show the relationship between the information that follows. Organise the figures in a consistent order, compare related categories directly, and ensure each paragraph develops a complete point.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “expenditure,” “account,” and “weekly income,” and the main topic remains understandable. There are also attempts to vary wording rather than repeat “spending.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “weekly earning” is less suitable than “weekly income,” “leisure uphold highest value” is not a natural collocation, and “maximum” is awkward for describing a chart share. “Footware” is also misspelled; the correct form is “footwear.” Aim for precise, conventional chart language and check spelling, especially in category names. More accurate collocations would make the description clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including clauses with “whereas” and “which,” but grammatical control is inconsistent. For example, “spending on food comprises largest proportion” is missing an article, while “leisure account highest position” has a subject–verb agreement error. The phrase “which dropped significantly 15 to 20%” lacks a clear grammatical link between the verb and the amount of change. There are also incomplete or faulty constructions, such as “Followed by housing and food with 15 to 20% respectively,” and the final sentence is unfinished. Use complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, check articles and agreement, and express changes with patterns such as “fell from … to ….”

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