Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-03
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
below shows the value of one country’s exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016. The table shows the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The given bar graph illustrates the information about the export earnings from 2015 to 2016 and the table demonstrates the percentage change in each category values in 2015 and 2016.
Overall, it is clear that the petroleum products and engineered goods increased over the period, whereas the smallest was textiles. In addition, the textiles soared significantly.
To begin with, the petroleum products occupied 63 billion dollars in 2016, while 60 billion dollars in 2015. Moreover, the engineered goods accounted for 55 billion dollars. However, 60 billion dollars recorded by 2016. The gems and jewellery stood at 42 billion in 2015. Meanwhile 40 billion in 2016. Agricultural products exceeded 31 billion and 1 billion higher than the previous year. The textiles recorded by 27 billion in 2015 and 5 billion higher than last year in 2016.
In 2015 to 2016, the textiles proportion (15.24%) increased rapidly, whereas the engineered goods stood at 8.5%. Furthermore, 3% value changed in the petroleum products. Also, 0.81 proportion grew marginally in the agricultural products. Finally, the gems and jewellery decreased by 5.18%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the main features of both the bar graph and the table. You successfully identified key trends, such as the growth in petroleum and the decline in gems and jewellery. However, the report lacks precision in data presentation. For instance, you state 'engineered goods accounted for 55 billion dollars. However, 60 billion dollars recorded by 2016', which is confusing and grammatically awkward. Additionally, the comparison between the bar chart data and the percentage change table is somewhat disjointed. To improve, ensure that figures are clearly linked to their respective years and categories to avoid ambiguity for the reader.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'Finally' to transition between ideas. However, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally mechanical, and some sentences feel disconnected, such as the abrupt transition between the bar chart data and the percentage changes in the final paragraph. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the percentage changes without explicitly linking them back to the specific categories in a fluid manner. Improving the use of cohesive devices to create smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'soared', 'proportion', and 'marginally'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward phrasing, such as 'the smallest was textiles' (referring to the category rather than the value) and '0.81 proportion grew'. Some collocations are also slightly unnatural, such as 'recorded by 27 billion'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for data reporting and ensure that your word choices accurately reflect the relationships between the figures provided in the prompt.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, '60 billion dollars recorded by 2016' is a passive construction error, and 'In 2015 to 2016, the textiles proportion (15.24%) increased' lacks a clear subject-verb relationship regarding the time frame. There are also issues with preposition usage and sentence fragments. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct sentence construction will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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