Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-10

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 chart displays the export value of a single country, which is divided into several categories for the years 2015 and 2016, while the table represents the comparison of changes in every category over the period of one year.

Overall, it can be seen that, petroleum goods earned the highest for each distinct year. However, engine and textile show upward trends, while gems and agricultural products income remained consistent. Moreover, the changes in value was least in agriculture goods.

Now, getting to the details, petroleum items earned about 70 billion dollars in 2016, which is slightly higher than the previous year. Engine goods show a similar trends rising to about 70 billion dollars from 6 in the year of 2016 and 2015, respectively. Textile revenue experienced a significant increase 40 billion dollars in the final year.

Regarding the table data, engineered products experienced a dramatic upward shift compared to 2015.The gems section only shows a downward trends account for 5.18%. Agriculture has the lowest modifications at roughly 0.81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the data, such as the dominance of petroleum and the trends in other categories. However, there are significant inaccuracies in your data reporting. For instance, you state that engine goods rose to 70 billion dollars from 6, but the provided data suggests different figures. Additionally, the description of the percentage changes in the table is somewhat vague. To reach a higher band, ensure that all figures cited are precise and that you clearly distinguish between the absolute values in the bar chart and the percentage changes in the table. While you cover all parts of the task, the lack of precision in data interpretation limits the effectiveness of your summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'However', and 'Regarding the table data' to guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'Now, getting to the details'. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the bar chart data and the table data could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different data sets, which helps the reader follow the structure of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'upward trends', 'consistent', and 'significant increase'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices or minor errors, such as 'the changes in value was least' (should be 'were') and 'lowest modifications'. You attempt to use a variety of descriptors, which is positive. To improve, focus on more precise collocations when describing data trends, such as 'experienced a marginal decline' instead of 'shows a downward trends'. Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly despite these minor inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'petroleum goods earned the highest' (missing noun), 'Engine goods show a similar trends' (subject-verb agreement), and 'the changes in value was' (subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some missing spaces after periods. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and pluralization will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.