Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-22

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 5.0)

The Charts illustrates average weekly spending by families income in one country from 1968 to 2018.

Oveall, it is clear that total 8 items are using by different families their incomes are compared with respect to week to week. In 1965, food have heighest percentage of income as compared to other. All remaining shows delcined dramatically throughout period.

In 1968,Food shows about average income is 35% which Highest income as compared to 2018 about 17%. Then, Housing shows 10% is declined in1968 views about 19% have raised.Then after, fuel and power shows 7%in1968 is slightly higher than 2018 is 4%. next clothing and footware is about 10% in 1968 gradually higher than in2018 is 5% only. However, Leisure shows 26% in 2018 is greatly higher than in1968 is 9.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several relevant categories and make some comparisons, including food falling from about 35% to 17%, housing rising from 10% to 19%, and leisure increasing. However, the response only partially summarises the chart: it gives no clear, accurate overview of the main changes, and the claim that all remaining categories declined is incorrect. Transport rose from 8% to 14%, while household goods stayed at 8%. The year “1965” is also inaccurate; the chart compares 1968 and 2018. The response is 129 words, below the required 150, which limits the detail and coverage. Include a concise overview, report the largest rises and falls accurately, and add the omitted categories where useful.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, with an opening, an overview-like paragraph, and a paragraph of figures. The comparisons are generally grouped by category, and words such as “Then,” “However,” and “Then after” show an effort to connect ideas. However, progression is difficult to follow because the overview contains unclear claims and the final paragraph moves between categories without a consistent pattern. Some linking phrases are awkward or repetitive, and punctuation around figures is inconsistent. Use a clear structure: introduction, accurate overview, then grouped comparisons—for example, categories that fell, followed by those that rose or remained stable. This would make the relationships between the data easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-relevant vocabulary, including “percentage,” “declined,” “raised,” and “higher,” so the reader can recognise that the chart compares spending shares. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “families income,” “food shows,” and “are using by different families their incomes.” Spelling errors, including “Oveall,” “heighest,” and “delcined,” also reduce clarity and control. Aim for precise chart language and natural collocations, such as “accounted for,” “share of weekly income,” and “increased.” Check spelling carefully, and avoid repeating “shows” when describing each category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer comparisons, but the range is limited and errors are frequent enough to make several sentences difficult to understand. For example, “The Charts illustrates” has subject–verb disagreement, while “In 1968,Food shows about average income is 35%” has an unclear sentence structure and missing punctuation. Tense and sentence patterns are also inconsistent in “Housing shows 10% is declined in1968 views about 19% have raised.” Use straightforward, complete sentences with a clear subject and verb: “Food accounted for 35% in 1968, compared with 17% in 2018.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting, articles, agreement, and punctuation before attempting longer comparisons.

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.