Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-31

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 graph demonstrates information about average weekly spending of their income by families in 1968 to 2018.

According to the graph, in 1968, most of the families spending their income in buying food items rather than other things, almost 35% of their weekly income spent on the food, but in 2018, this percentage is so less, almost 17%. In leisure time, most of the weekly income spent on it in 2018, almost 23% of their weekly income, but in 1968, it was so low.

In 1968, families spent their weekly income in housing, buying cloths, personal things etc. almost 10%, 10% & 8% respectively, but this scenario changed in 2018, families increase to spent their weekly income on housing and transport rather than others, almost 19% respectively. Families are concious about their weekly income to spent too much on personal goods and fuel & power under 5% in the year of 2018 rather than 1968.

In conclusion, it would be say that families were more concious to spent their weekly income properly day by day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast between food spending falling from about 35% to 17% and leisure becoming a major category in 2018, and you include several relevant figures. However, the overview is incomplete: it does not clearly summarise the broad shift from food towards leisure, housing and transport, or note that household goods stayed level. Some details are inaccurate or unclear. For example, transport rose to about 14%, not 19%; 19% applies to housing. The claim that families spent “almost 10%, 10% & 8%” on housing, clothing and personal goods in 1968 is broadly accurate, but the later comparison is not clearly matched to categories. Avoid explaining the figures as evidence that families became more “conscious”; the chart shows spending patterns, not motives.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction to comparisons and a conclusion, and phrases such as “but in 2018” help signal contrast. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the second paragraph groups categories together, then says housing and transport were both about 19%, making the comparison difficult to follow. The conclusion repeats an interpretation rather than summarising the chart’s main trends. Some linking phrases are repetitive, particularly repeated uses of “but” and “rather than.” Organise the body around clear comparisons—for example, categories that rose, those that fell, and those that remained stable—and use precise references so readers can follow which year and category each figure describes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “weekly income,” “housing,” “leisure,” and “personal goods,” so the subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “spending their income in buying,” “this percentage is so less,” and “families increase to spent.” “Concious” is also misspelled, and “cloths” should be “clothes.” The repeated use of “spent” and “weekly income” makes the description less precise. Use standard chart-reporting expressions such as “accounted for,” “rose to,” and “fell to,” and name categories consistently. Avoid evaluative language such as “properly,” since the chart does not judge whether spending was appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts longer sentences with contrasts, but control is limited and errors occur frequently. Examples include “The graph demonstrates information about average weekly spending of their income,” where the sentence structure and reference are unclear, and “most of the families spending their income,” which lacks a correctly formed verb. Other problems include “families increase to spent,” “it would be say,” and missing or incorrect articles and prepositions. These errors sometimes make relationships between figures difficult to understand. Build accuracy first with clear comparative sentences, such as “Families spent 35% of their income on food in 1968, compared with 17% in 2018.” Then practise combining clauses with “while” or “whereas,” checking verb forms and sentence boundaries.

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

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