Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-11
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 rendered bar and table chart illustrates the comparative details regarding the country's exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016 and percentage change in each category of export in 2016 compared with 2015 respectively.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that the highest number exports were in petroleum products in 2015 whereas the lowest percentile change was seen in agricultural products.
It is evident from the chart of 2015, the maximum amount of trade was in petroleum products listed as 6 billion dollars which was followed by that in engine goods. On the contrary, the minimum count of supply was in textiles accounted for 35 billion dollars. The number of exports in gems and jewellery was greater than that of agricultural products. Meanwhile in 2016, a similarity was witnessed in the case of agricultural products and textiles by 40 billion dollars. The number of trade in engine goods was slightly less than the petroleum products.
Moving further on the rest of the details, the proportion of petroleum products, engine goods and gems and jewellery were ranged between 1 to 10%. At last, in case of textiles and agricultural products, the percentile of former one was outnumbering the latter one.
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 identifies the main features and provides a clear overview. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For instance, you state that the minimum export was '35 billion dollars' for textiles, which is a misreading of the data. Additionally, the description of the 2016 figures is vague and lacks the precision required for a high band score. While you attempt to compare categories, the lack of accurate data reporting hinders the clarity of the summary. To improve, ensure that figures are transcribed correctly from the table and that comparisons are supported by specific, accurate data points rather than general statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'On the contrary', 'Meanwhile', and 'Moving further' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of information is sometimes confusing, particularly in the third paragraph where the transition between 2015 and 2016 data is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between categories. Improving the logical flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used to highlight relationships between data points will enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'comparative details', 'proportion', and 'outnumbering'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'lowest percentile change' (when referring to percentage change) and 'number of trade', which is not a standard collocation. Some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'the rendered bar and table chart'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that collocations are natural. Avoid repetitive sentence structures and try to incorporate more varied ways of describing trends and data comparisons.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the highest number exports were' (missing 'of') and 'the percentile of former one was outnumbering' (incorrect article usage and awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors that occasionally disrupt the flow. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve the overall accuracy of your complex sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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