Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-14

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 illustrates the proportion of one country's export various products between 2015 and 2016. The table depicts the percentage change in each category of export in 2016 compared with 2015.

Overall, in the bar chart, the petroleum products accounted the highest proportion of export earning in both years, while textile recorded the smallest figure of earning. In the table, the greatest change was observed by the textiles category.

To begin with, in the var chart, the petroleum products showed a dominant share of earning at approximately 65 $ billion and 70$ billion in 2015 as well as 2016, followed by engineered goods, at 55 $ billion and 60 $ billion. Germs and jewellery represented roughly the same proportion 50 $ billion in both years. Likewise agriculture products also recorded 42 $ billion. Textiles had 35 $ billion in 2015 before increasing to 41 $ billion in 2016.

Turning to table, a considerable percentage change was witnessed to textile, by 15.24%. Germs and jewellery showed 5.18% which was the second highest among categories. The Petroleum products experienced 3% change in value. However, agriculture had a minimal change (0.81%).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting key features from both the bar chart and the table. The main trends are identified, such as petroleum products being the highest earners and textiles showing the most significant percentage change. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you describe the values as 'billion' when the chart likely refers to a different unit, and the figures for 'Germs and jewellery' and 'agriculture' are stated as identical in both years, which is a misinterpretation of the visual data. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed with absolute precision and that the relationship between the two datasets is more explicitly linked.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the chart and the table respectively. The progression of ideas is clear, and there is a basic use of cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'Turning to'. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally weak, such as the repetitive use of 'in the bar chart' and 'in the table'. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the transition between the two data sources is smoother, perhaps by integrating the percentage changes more naturally into the discussion of the export values.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'dominant share', and 'considerable percentage change'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'accounted the highest proportion' (should be 'accounted for') and 'witnessed to textile' (should be 'witnessed in the textile category'). Additionally, the term 'Germs' is likely a misspelling of 'Gems'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of reporting verbs and adjectives would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'export various products' (should be 'export of various products') and 'textile recorded' (should be 'textiles recorded'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are inconsistent spaces around currency symbols (e.g., '65 $ billion'). The errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent formatting of numerical data will help improve your accuracy.

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

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