Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07
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 bar graph depicts the income of a region exports in five different product categories between 2015 to 2016. While the table illustrates the proportion difference in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.
Observation of bar chart, in 2015, petroleum products stood at 60$ export earning. It minimally increased in 2016 at around 62$. which was the highest income year. Meanwhile, Engineers goods accounted for 60$ and almost 62$ from 2015 to 2016 respectively. Then, gems and jewellery considerably declined from more than 50$ in 2015 to 50$ in 2016. Agricultural products and textiles recorded the lowest earning categories by century in 2015 to 2016.
Turning to the table, petroleum products category normally increased in 2016 at 3% compared to 2015. A significant incline was noted in Engineers goods by 8.5% in 2016. There was sharp fall in gems and jewellery sector at 5.18% in 2015. textile sector gradually grew in earning in 2016 at 15.24%. which was the highest proportion.
Overall, in 2015, the export earning was decreased in all product categories compared to 2016. The highest earning difference was observed in textile category in 2016 among other.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of both the bar chart and the table. You provided data for all categories and made relevant comparisons between the two years. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting of the data. For instance, you mention '60$' and '62$' for petroleum and engineering goods, but the units are not clearly defined as billions or millions, and the currency symbol is misplaced. Additionally, your summary of the table data contains some confusion, such as stating there was a 'sharp fall' in gems and jewellery when the table indicates a percentage change. To improve, ensure you accurately transcribe the data and clearly define the units provided in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure of your report. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Turning to the table', and 'Overall' to signal transitions between sections. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'which was the highest income year'. The final paragraph is slightly contradictory, as it states earnings decreased in all categories in 2015 compared to 2016, which contradicts the data for gems and jewellery. Improving the logical connection between sentences will enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'declined', and 'earning'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'income of a region exports' instead of 'export earnings of a region' and 'lowest earning categories by century', which is confusing. You also struggle with the correct placement of currency symbols and units. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology and ensuring that your collocations are natural and accurate in an academic context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'between 2015 to 2016' (should be 'between 2015 and 2016'), 'Engineers goods' (should be 'Engineering goods'), and 'the export earning was decreased' (passive voice error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several sentence fragments starting with 'which'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the clarity of your writing. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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