Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The bar chart illustrates the information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, the families spent their weekly income in food. The proportion of highly increase over the time period.The housing proportion is inceasing in this time period.

In addition, families spent their salary in food department in 1968 this ratio is very increase and in 2018 this percentage is decline. In 1968, the people spent their income in housing is less use and this is increase in 2018 the percentage is 20%.

Although, Individuals much spent their income in leisure department. Clothing and foot ware department ratio is increase in 1968 and decline in 2018 at this time the ratio of this department is 5%. Household goods percentage are same in the time period. The ratio of transport department is increase in 2018. Fuel and power department is decline over the time period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the two years and mention several relevant categories, including food, housing, leisure, clothing, household goods, transport, and fuel. However, the overview is unclear and does not accurately summarise the main pattern: food was the largest category in 1968, while leisure was largest in 2018. The statement that families spent their income “in food” and that its proportion “highly increase” is especially confusing; food fell from about 35% to 17%. Some comparisons are correct, such as housing rising to around 20% and household goods remaining stable, but other trends are vague or inaccurate. The response is also 13 words below the 150-word minimum, with 16 words copied from the prompt excluded. Include a clear overview and support it with accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, beginning with an introduction and an overview before moving to category details. You also use linking expressions such as “Overall,” “In addition,” and “Although.” However, the progression is difficult to follow because the overview repeats or obscures points that are then revisited, and the final paragraph lists categories without a clear comparison structure. “Although” does not introduce a contrasting clause, so its connection is unclear. Grouping the main changes—for example, categories that rose versus those that fell—and using one paragraph for the overview and another for selected comparisons would make the information easier to follow. Clearer links between sentences would also reduce the list-like effect.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “proportion,” “percentage,” “household goods,” and “fuel and power,” so the reader can recognise the chart categories. However, the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the intended meaning difficult to understand. For example, “spent their salary in food department” and “this ratio is very increase” do not express the data clearly; “the share spent on food was highest” would be more natural. There are also spelling and word-form problems, such as “inceasing” and “foot ware.” Aim to use precise terms such as “share,” “accounted for,” “rose,” and “fell,” and avoid repeating “department” when describing spending categories.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentence forms, including “Although, Individuals much spent their income in leisure department” and sentences comparing the two years. However, the complex attempts are often faulty, and frequent errors in sentence construction make some statements hard to interpret. For example, “The proportion of highly increase over the time period” lacks a correctly formed verb, while “the people spent their income in housing is less use” combines clauses without a clear grammatical relationship. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and punctuation, including the comma after “Although” and missing spaces after full stops. Use complete, direct sentences with a clear subject and verb, then check tense and clause connections.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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