Information about How Families in One Country Spent Their Weekly Income. IELTS Cambridge 17 – Test 3 (Task 1)

Question – The chart below gives information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018.

The data on weekly income expenditures by the average family in a particular nation between 1968 and 2018 is displayed in a bar graph.

Overall, over the course of the 50-year period, spending on housing and recreation has risen significantly while spending on food has decreased significantly, suggesting that the preference for these areas of spending has surpassed that of food.

In 1968, the biggest expenditure category was food, making up 35% of the family\’s weekly income. Housing and clothing/footwear came in second and third, respectively, accounting for 10% of a family\’s average weekly income. However, the amount spent on food showed a significant shift in 2018 compared to 1968, accounting for only roughly 17% of the average family\’s weekly income.

In contrast, the areas with the highest spending in 2018 were housing and recreation. Housing and leisure spending saw a sharp increase in comparison to the preceding period, rising from 10% and 9% in 1968 to 19% and 22% in 2018, respectively. Plus, in 1968 families only paid 8% of their weekly income for transportation; by 2018, that number had risen to 16%. In addition, the share of spending on personal goods, fuel and power, and apparel and footwear decreased in 2018 compared to 1968.