Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-02

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 percentage of weekly income spent by the families in one country in 1968 and in 2018.

Overall, highest percentage of weekly expenditure is spend on food which gradully decreases in 2018 to leisures. while the least expenditure was spend on housing which then increases double in 2018. while remaining catorgies, moderate amount of income is spend on them.

In 1968, about 35% of the total expenditure was spent on food which then decline to 16% in 2018. while in leisure 9%was spent in 1968 which then increases double to 22%. while remaning catorgories moderate amount of expenditure was spent, which was housing on 2nd during 208 which was approximately to 19%.

fuel and power was 6% which decreases to 4% in 2018. moderate amount of expenditure was spent on clothing in 1968 10% which reduce to 5% in 2018. while household goods equal amount of expenditure was spent which wa 8%.

whereas, personal goods was 7 % which decreases to 4% . while transport was 8% which increases to 9% in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s subject and report several relevant comparisons, including food falling from about 35% to 16%, leisure rising from 9% to 22%, and fuel and power declining from 6% to 4%. However, the overview is unclear and contains a major misreading: housing was not the lowest category in 1968; it was 10%, while fuel and power was lowest. The claim that food “decreases in 2018 to leisures” also confuses two categories, and the statement that transport rises to 9% is inaccurate; it reaches about 14%. Some figures are omitted or imprecise, and the main changes are not consistently highlighted. A clearer overview and more accurate selection of key comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs containing figures, so the reader can recognise an attempt to organise the information. However, progression is weak: categories are listed without a clear grouping, and several sentences begin with “while,” “which,” or “whereas” in ways that make relationships difficult to follow. For example, “food which gradually decreases in 2018 to leisures” does not clearly connect the two trends. The overview also combines unrelated points, while the final paragraph moves through categories without a consistent comparison pattern. Use one paragraph for the largest changes and another for the remaining categories, and make each sentence’s comparison explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “expenditure,” “decreases,” and “increases,” which helps communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward, such as “leisures,” “catorgies,” “spend on,” and “increases double.” Repetition of “moderate amount of expenditure was spent” also makes the description less precise. Spelling errors such as “gradully,” “remaning,” and “catorgories” are noticeable and can slow the reader, while “housing on 2nd during 208” is difficult to interpret. Practise accurate category names and use concise comparison language, such as “rose to,” “fell to,” and “accounted for.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer clauses, for example, “Fuel and power was 6% which decreases to 4% in 2018,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in verb forms and agreement occur frequently: “percentage … is spend” and “which then decline” should use appropriate past forms, while “categories … is spend” requires plural agreement. Several sentence boundaries are also faulty, with fragments beginning “while” after full stops and missing punctuation between clauses. Articles and sentence construction are sometimes omitted or awkward, as in “Overall, highest percentage…” and “which was housing on 2nd.” These errors can make comparisons hard to understand. Build accurate short sentences first, then combine them with controlled clauses and consistent past-tense reporting.

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