Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-09

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 6.0)

The table compares the percentage change in the export of different categories of exports (petroleum products, engineering goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products and textiles) between 2015 and 2016.

Overall, the proportion of most categories significantly or slightly increased by 2016, as against gems and jewellery, which experienced a decreased by the following year.

To begin with, the petroleum products categories which recorded 60% by 2015, increased by 3% in 2016. Engineering goods and textiles categories experienced drastic rise from below 60% and below 40% in 2015 to about 62% and just above 40% respectively by 2016. The categories of agricultural products which was just above 40% in 2015, slightly increased by 0.81% in the following year.

In contrast, gems and jewellery categories had a decrease from just above 40% in 2015 to about 40% in 2016.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main features and provided some comparisons, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You have correctly highlighted the trends for most categories, but the under-length nature of the response means that the information is not fully developed. To improve, ensure you provide a more detailed overview and expand on the data points provided in the table. The failure to reach the word count limit is a primary constraint on your score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'In contrast' to link your ideas. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, and the transitions between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a short report, but the overall structure lacks the depth required for a higher band. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus that contributes to a cohesive summary of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'significantly', 'drastic rise', and 'experienced a decrease'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'as against gems and jewellery' and 'the petroleum products categories which recorded 60%'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary and ensuring that your collocations are natural and accurate in the context of describing statistical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

Your writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the categories of agricultural products which was' (subject-verb agreement) and 'experienced a decreased' (incorrect word form). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of these minor errors prevents a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that your verb forms are consistent. Proofreading your work for these small but frequent errors will help you achieve a higher band score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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