Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Here, the bar chart provides information about the families in a one country spent their weekly income in the daily life in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, it is quite evidented that the food was most spent weekly income in 1968. While, fuel and power were less. In year 2018, families like more spent their income on leisure. However, less on personal goods.

A glance at the bar chart demonstrates that the majority of weekly income spent on food 35% in 1968. Moreover, housing, clothing and footwear 10%. followed by leisure, transport and personal goods were 8-9%. However, fuel and power was 6%. While, household goods were same in both the years 7%.

Further analysis of the bar chart reveals that the majority of weekly income spent on leisure 23% in 2018. Followed by housing 19%. Additionally, weekly income spent on food was 18%. However, personal goods and fuel and power were least spent weekly income of the families in 2018.

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 you note that fuel and power is among the smallest categories. These are relevant overview points. However, some figures and comparisons are inaccurate or incomplete: in 2018, personal goods and fuel and power are both 4%, but transport (14%) and clothing (5%) are also omitted; household goods are 8% in both years, not 7%. The statement that housing and clothing were both 10% in 1968 is correct, but the following grouping of leisure, transport and personal goods as 8–9% obscures their individual values. Report the main rises and falls more precisely, especially the substantial decline in food and increases in housing, transport and leisure.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: 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 limited, and several linking expressions are either repetitive or awkwardly used. For example, “Moreover,” “Followed by,” “Additionally,” and “However” introduce lists without clearly showing how the figures relate. The sentence beginning “Moreover, housing, clothing and footwear 10%” is also difficult to connect to the preceding point. Group the categories by meaningful changes—such as falling, rising and remaining stable—and use clear sentence links rather than relying on repeated transition words. This would make the organisation more coherent and the comparisons easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “bar chart,” “weekly income,” “majority,” and “followed by,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, sometimes making the meaning less precise. Examples include “it is quite evidented,” “families like more spent their income,” and “least spent weekly income.” The repeated use of “spent” also makes the description less flexible. Choose standard reporting language such as “accounted for,” “allocated,” “share,” and “expenditure,” and use accurate forms such as “the largest proportion was spent on.” Check spelling and established category names, including “footwear.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few different sentence patterns, including contrast with “While” and “However,” and the overall meaning can usually be understood. Nevertheless, sentence structures are often incomplete or faulty, and errors recur in basic clauses. For instance, “the food was most spent weekly income” lacks a clear grammatical structure, while “housing, clothing and footwear 10%” has no verb. “While, fuel and power were less” is also an incomplete clause, and the opening sentence has an awkward article and word order. Practise complete subject–verb sentences, for example, “Families spent 35% of their weekly income on food in 1968.” Use subordinate clauses only when they are grammatically complete, and check articles, agreement and punctuation.

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