Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-30

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 6.0)

The bar graphs illustrates the percentage of weekly expenses of families in one country in year 1968 and 2018.

Overall, in 1968 the highest spending was on food, while people least spent on petroleum and electricity. In 2018 families spent most on entertainment and fuel and power and personal good records least.

Firstly, in 1968 families spent 35% in their weekly income on food, while it was droped in 2018 by almost half that was approx. 17%. Moreover, on housing they was spending 10% and it was increased in 2018 by around 8% as compared to 1968. Fuel and power acounts around 6% in 1968 and less that 5% in 2018, while spending on cloths and footware was 10% and it was drop by half in 2018.

Secondly, on household goods it was same for both the years that was approximately 8%, expenses of personal goods in 1968 was also same as household goods, but is was droped in 2018 was around 4%. In 1968 transport and leisue acounts 6% and 8% respectively, but it was increased in both transport was near about 15% and leisure was more than 20% in year 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main contrast clearly: food was the largest category in 1968, while leisure was largest in 2018, and you report several relevant changes. Most figures are close to the chart, including food, housing, fuel, clothing, household goods and personal goods. However, the overview says families spent most on “entertainment and fuel and power” in 2018, which misstates the ranking: leisure was highest, while fuel and power was among the lowest. The claim that people least spent on petroleum and electricity in 1968 is also imprecise, since fuel and power was the smallest category. Transport and leisure figures for 1968 are misreported as 6% and 8%, rather than about 8% and 9%. A more accurate overview and checking these comparisons would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs grouping the figures by year and category. “Firstly” and “Secondly” help signal the progression, and comparisons such as food falling while housing rose are generally easy to follow. However, the grouping is not always clear: the second detail paragraph moves from household goods to personal goods, then transport and leisure without a strong organising principle. Some links are also awkward or unclear, particularly “but it was increased in both transport was near about 15%.” The overview’s reference to fuel and power as a leading 2018 expense disrupts the otherwise clear comparison. Use more precise transitions and group related increases and decreases together to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “weekly income,” “increased,” “drop” and “approximately,” so the reader can understand the broad comparisons. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this task. “Entertainment” is not the chart’s label; “leisure” is more precise, while “petroleum and electricity” should be “fuel and power.” Phrases such as “spent 35% in their weekly income” and “records least” are awkward collocations, and spelling errors in “droped,” “acounts,” “cloths” and “leisue” reduce control. Aim to use the chart’s category names consistently and practise natural reporting phrases such as “accounted for” and “the proportion spent on.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer comparative sentences, using structures such as “while” and “as compared to,” but control is uneven. Errors occur in verb forms and agreement: “The bar graphs illustrates,” “they was spending,” and “it was droped” should use correctly matched subjects and verbs. Some clauses are difficult to follow, especially “but it was increased in both transport was near about 15%,” where the sentence structure breaks down. Articles and prepositions are also inconsistent, as in “in year 1968” and “spent 35% in their weekly income.” These errors sometimes make relationships between figures unclear. Build accuracy first with clear subject–verb patterns, then combine clauses using “whereas” or “while” only when the comparison is complete.

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