Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The above bar graph illustrates, the 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.
Overall, the petroleum products where highest in both years and textiles remain low in both years. In table, the most categories experienced increased in export value, with textiles recording the highest percentage growth. In Contrast, gems and jewellery was the only category decline.
The petroleum products was highest in 2015 which was 65% and in 2016 it increased to 68%. The next was Engineered goods was 58% in 2015 and grew to 65% in 2016. The gems and jewellery was 53% in 2015 and decline to 50% in 2016. The next was agricultural goods was same in both years which was nearly 40%. The textile was 36% in 2015 and rose to 40% in 2016.
The percentage change in values in petroleum products were increase by 3% then Engineered goods was rise by 8.5% the gems and jewellery was seen decline by 5.18%. Then agricultural products was seen increased by 0.81% and the highest increased was seen in textiles which was nearly 15.24.
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 identifying the main features and providing data comparisons. You successfully highlighted the highest and lowest categories and noted the trends. However, the report is somewhat repetitive, as you list the data for each category in the third paragraph and then repeat the percentage changes in the fourth. To improve, integrate the percentage change data directly into the analysis of each category rather than separating them into two distinct sections. This would create a more cohesive and analytical summary rather than a list-like description.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear overall progression from the introduction to the overview and the body details. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'The next was' and 'Then' are used frequently to transition between sentences, which limits the flow. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and referencing expressions (e.g., 'In contrast to this', 'Following this trend', 'Conversely') to connect your ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, such as 'illustrates', 'experienced', 'recording', and 'decline'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'where highest' (should be 'were'), 'experienced increased' (should be 'experienced an increase'), and 'the highest increased' (should be 'the highest increase'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. Focusing on correct word forms and collocations will help improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('petroleum products was highest', 'Engineered goods was rise') and article usage. Additionally, some sentences are awkward, such as 'The next was Engineered goods was 58%'. To improve, ensure that your subjects and verbs agree and practice using more varied sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participial phrases to combine information more elegantly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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