Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-29

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 illustrates the information regarding households expenditure per week in particular country in 1968 to 2018.

overall, food was the most popular activity among all the activities in 1968. Whereas, most of the families expended their per week income in leisure activities and housing as well in 2018, fuel and power demonstrated the least amount among all the activities.

Commencing with food expenditures, in 1968 food was the most popular activity had percentage of 35. However, in 2018 it remained half of 1968. Housing was the second popular activity with percentage of 10. moreover, in 2018 housing surpassed the food percentage. Although, clothing and footware had exact same figure as housing in 1968 but in 2018 it decreased up to half.

Turning to the remaining activities, families allocated the same amount of weekly income on household goods, percentage goods and transport in 1968 which moved between 5 to 10 percent approximately. On the other hand, families unit spent a bit more per week earning in leisure activities than transport in 1968. while, in 2018 it reached over 20%. Fuel and power were the lowest spending activity throughout the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main shift from food in 1968 to leisure and housing in 2018, and you include several relevant figures, such as food at 35% and housing at 10% in 1968. The overview also correctly notes that fuel and power was the smallest category in 2018. However, some comparisons are incomplete or inaccurate: food fell to 17%, not exactly half of 35%, and fuel and power was not the lowest category throughout, since personal goods was also 4% in 2018. The statement that leisure was only slightly above transport in 1968 is not supported by the chart (9% versus 8%). Covering these details more precisely, including the rise in transport and leisure, would make the summary more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping food and housing before the remaining categories. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly where several categories are compressed into “household goods, percentage goods and transport.” Some linking words are also awkward or overused: “However,” “Moreover,” “Although,” and “On the other hand” do not always express the relationship between the figures clearly. Sentence fragments beginning “Whereas” and “while” weaken the flow. Use clearer grouping and connect comparisons directly—for example, contrast categories that rose with those that fell.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “allocated,” “surpassed,” “expenditures,” and “percentage,” and the reader can generally understand the categories being compared. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural for describing a spending chart. “Food was the most popular activity” confuses a spending category with an activity, while “families expended their per week income” and “families unit spent” are unclear. “Percentage goods” appears to be an incorrect label for personal goods, and “footware” is misspelled. Aim for precise, consistent terms such as “accounted for,” “share of weekly income,” and the chart’s exact category names.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including contrasts introduced by “Although” and “On the other hand,” so there is some structural variety. Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors make relationships unclear. For example, “food was the most popular activity had percentage of 35” lacks a grammatical link between the clauses, and “in 2018 it remained half of 1968” has an unclear subject and comparison. The opening also needs an article in “in a particular country,” and “in 1968 to 2018” should be expressed as a period. Capitalisation after full stops is inconsistent, as in “moreover” and “while.” Check clause structure and punctuation when combining comparisons.

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