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 chart illustrates the average expenditure of families weekly income in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, families expenditures on food in 1968 was higher than that of 2018 while the lowest amount of money spent on fuel and power. On the other hand, in 2018, most of the families spent maximum in leisure while minimum on 2 sector (fuel and power, and personal goods). However, in both period, expenditure was equal on household goods.

In 1968, most of the families of the country gave maximum priority on food that was 35% of their income while in 2018 it was on leisure, around 25%. Both period indicate that the second priority is on housing, in 1968 it was 10% whereas in 2018 it was around 20%. On household goods families spent similar amount of their income in both periods and it was around 10%.

The lowest expenditure, in both years, was on the fuel and power sector. In 1968 it was around 7% and in 2018 it was around 5%. There were some features where families spent similar amount of money in 1968 as well as in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast between the periods: food was the largest category in 1968, whereas leisure led in 2018, and household-goods spending was similar. You also include several relevant figures. However, some details are inaccurate or incomplete: leisure in 2018 was about 22%, not 25%; fuel and power was the lowest category in 1968, but in 2018 fuel and power and personal goods were both about 4%. The statement that housing was the second priority in both years is also incorrect, since leisure ranked second in 1968. The overview is relevant, but clearer ranking and more accurate comparisons across the categories would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs presenting details. The main comparisons are generally easy to follow, and phrases such as “On the other hand” help signal a contrast. However, some links are mechanical or unclear. For example, “Both period indicate” introduces a comparison but does not clearly explain the ranking, and the final sentence about “some features” being similar is vague and repeats an earlier point without identifying those features. Organise the details into clearer comparisons between the two years, and use references that specify the categories being discussed. This would strengthen progression while preserving the coherent paragraph structure already present.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “average expenditure,” “priority,” “maximum,” and “lowest expenditure,” so the chart’s subject is clear. There are also attempts to vary expressions for spending. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise, such as “gave maximum priority on food,” “spent maximum in leisure,” and “on 2 sector.” “Families expenditures” is also an awkward form, and “footware” is misspelled in the chart label if you intend to reproduce it. Prefer standard collocations such as “spent the largest proportion on food” and “the two lowest categories.” More precise vocabulary would help distinguish spending amounts from priorities and make comparisons sound more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “while” and a sentence beginning “On the other hand.” Meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “families expenditures … was higher” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “in both period” needs a plural noun and a suitable determiner. The sentence “while the lowest amount of money spent on fuel and power” is incomplete because it lacks a finite verb, and “Both period indicate” also has agreement and number errors. Check articles, plurals, and verb agreement, and ensure each clause has a complete verb structure. Greater accuracy in these patterns would make the comparisons easier to read.

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