The line graph below illustrates the average monthly household spending on traditional post office services and app-based courier and delivery services across six major Vietnamese cities from 2013 to 2023. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Average Monthly Household Spending: Post Office vs. App-Based Courier Services (2013-2023)
Average Monthly Household Spending: Post Office vs. App-Based Courier Services (2013-2023) (thousand VND)

Average monthly household spending on traditional post office services versus app-based courier and delivery services (in the style of Grab and Ahamove), averaged across six major Vietnamese cities, 2013-2023, in thousand VND.

Band 6.5

This 6.5 answer correctly reports the crossover and the overall reversal in spending, but leans on repeated basic connectors and comparatives ("went up a lot", "became higher than") instead of the richer collocations ("rose sharply", "overtook ... for the first time") that mark the 7.5 answer.

The line graph shows how much money households spent every month on two services: traditional post office services and app-based courier and delivery services, in six big cities in Vietnam, from 2013 to 2023. Overall, spending on post office services went down a lot, but spending on app-based courier services went up a lot. By the middle of the period, courier spending became higher than post office spending.

In 2013, households spent 180 thousand VND on post office services every month. This number went down continuously, to 115 thousand VND in 2017 and then to 85 thousand VND in 2019. By 2023, it was only 35 thousand VND, which is much lower than at the start.

In contrast, spending on courier services started lower, at 60 thousand VND in 2013, but it grew every year. It reached 130 thousand VND in 2017, becoming higher than post office spending for the first time. It kept growing and reached 290 thousand VND in 2023, which is much higher than in 2013.

Collocations

went down a lotwent up a lotwent down continuouslybecame higher thanin contrastkept growing

Examiner Notes

  • TR“Overall, spending on post office services went down a lot, but spending on app-based courier services went up a lot.” — States the overview correctly but relies on simple, repeated phrasing ("went down a lot"/"went up a lot") rather than more precise verbs like "declined" or "surged".
  • CC“In contrast, spending on courier services started lower, at 60 thousand VND in 2013, but it grew every year.” — The connector "In contrast" links the two body paragraphs, but the paragraphs otherwise rely on repeated "and"/"but" rather than varied cohesive devices.
  • LR“becoming higher than post office spending for the first time” — The phrase "became/becoming higher than" reports the crossover accurately but uses a basic comparative structure instead of a precise verb like "overtook".
  • GRA“By 2023, it was only 35 thousand VND, which is much lower than at the start.” — A correct non-restrictive relative clause is used, but sentence structures throughout the answer are mostly short and coordinate rather than varied and subordinated.
Band 7.0

This 7.0 answer captures the crossover and uses richer collocations than the 6.5 version ("declined steadily", "nearly five times higher"), but its overview folds the crossover detail into one dense sentence rather than the 7.5 answer's separate, sharper signposting sentence beginning "Notably".

The line graph illustrates the average monthly amount spent by households on traditional post office services compared with app-based courier and delivery services across six major Vietnamese cities between 2013 and 2023. Overall, spending on postal services declined steadily throughout the decade, whereas spending on courier and delivery services rose considerably, overtaking postal spending by the middle of the period and staying higher for the rest of the timeframe.

Household spending on post office services began at 180 thousand VND in 2013 and decreased year on year, falling to 115 thousand VND by 2017 and continuing to drop to 85 thousand VND in 2019. The decline carried on more gradually, and by 2023 spending had fallen to just 35 thousand VND per month, less than a fifth of the 2013 figure.

Spending on courier and delivery services followed the opposite pattern. Starting at only 60 thousand VND in 2013, it increased consistently, reaching 130 thousand VND in 2017, the point at which it first exceeded postal spending. Growth continued at a similar pace, with expenditure climbing to 230 thousand VND by 2021 and finishing the period at 290 thousand VND in 2023, nearly five times higher than a decade earlier.

Collocations

declined steadilyrose considerablydecreased year on yearfollowed the opposite patternincreased consistentlynearly five times higher

Examiner Notes

  • TR“Overall, spending on postal services declined steadily throughout the decade, whereas spending on courier and delivery services rose considerably, overtaking postal spending by the middle of the period and staying higher for the rest of the timeframe.” — A solid overview using "whereas" to contrast the two trends and naming the crossover, though it packs the crossover into the overview sentence itself rather than reserving it as a separate cohesive signpost the way the 7.5 answer does with "Notably".
  • LR“less than a fifth of the 2013 figure” — This fraction-based phrase is a useful way to summarise overall change, though the answer draws on a narrower range of precise verbs overall than the 7.5 version.
  • GRA“the point at which it first exceeded postal spending” — A relative clause is used to append an analytical comment, similar in function to the 7.5 answer's technique, though used only once rather than woven through multiple sentences.
  • CC“Spending on courier and delivery services followed the opposite pattern.” — This topic sentence clearly pivots between the two data paragraphs, though linking within each paragraph relies mostly on simple sequencing rather than varied cohesive devices.
Band 7.5

The 7.5 answer stands out for splitting the crossover into its own tightly cohesive sentence ("Notably, courier spending overtook postal spending..."), and for embedding an analytical relative clause ("at which point it overtook postal spending for the first time") that neither lower band attempts.

The line graph illustrates the average monthly amount spent by households on traditional post office services and app-based courier and delivery services, such as Grab and Ahamove, across six major Vietnamese cities between 2013 and 2023.

Overall, the decade saw a clear reversal in household spending habits, with expenditure on traditional post office services falling steadily while spending on app-based courier and delivery services rose sharply throughout the period. Notably, courier spending overtook postal spending by the middle of the decade and remained the dominant category thereafter.

In 2013, average monthly household spending on traditional post office services stood at 180 thousand VND. This figure then fell continuously over the following decade, dropping to 150 thousand VND by 2015 and to 115 thousand VND in 2017. The decline continued at a similar pace, reaching 85 thousand VND in 2019, before easing off to settle at just 35 thousand VND per month by 2023.

By contrast, spending on app-based courier and delivery services began at a comparatively modest 60 thousand VND in 2013. This figure climbed steadily thereafter, reaching 95 thousand VND in 2015 and 130 thousand VND in 2017, at which point it overtook postal spending for the first time. The upward trend persisted, with expenditure rising to 175 thousand VND in 2019 and 230 thousand VND in 2021, before peaking at 290 thousand VND per month by 2023.

Collocations

average monthly household spendingclear reversal in spending habitsfell continuouslyrose sharplyovertook ... for the first timeclimbed steadilyupward trend persistedpeaking at

Examiner Notes

  • TR“Overall, the decade saw a clear reversal in household spending habits, with expenditure on traditional post office services falling steadily while spending on app-based courier and delivery services rose sharply throughout the period.” — A clear overview sentence that captures the two opposing trends without listing specific figures.
  • LR“app-based courier and delivery services, such as Grab and Ahamove” — Precise, topic-specific vocabulary with concrete local examples adds authenticity and lexical range.
  • CC“Notably, courier spending overtook postal spending by the middle of the decade and remained the dominant category thereafter.” — The discourse marker "Notably" cohesively bridges the general overview and the detailed body paragraphs that follow.
  • GRA“at which point it overtook postal spending for the first time” — A non-restrictive relative clause is used to add a precise analytical comment without starting a new sentence.
  • TR“dropping to 150 thousand VND by 2015 and to 115 thousand VND in 2017” — Selective, accurate reporting of key data points rather than every value on the graph.
  • LR“By contrast, spending on app-based courier and delivery services began at a comparatively modest 60 thousand VND in 2013.” — The contrastive connector "By contrast" paired with the qualifier "comparatively modest" shows controlled, idiomatic phrasing.