Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21
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 graph illustrates the value of one country's export
in five distinct categories, while the table depicts the total percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015, unit measured in percentage.
Overall, the petroleum products and the engineered goods showed an upward trend, while other three categories leaned towards to the downward trends.
In the 2015, the petroleum products export near to $60 billions, and it slightly increased to 60.3 billions in 2017. Meanwhile, the engineered goods followed a similar trajectory where the total export was surged to nearly $ 60 billions in 2015, surged to 3% accounted for more than 60 billions.
The total export of gems and jewellery dipped to 5.18% 2016, which was marginally lower than the year of 2015. The agricultural products export were just shy off higher from the previous year(2015) , the changes was 0.81 higher in 2016. Lastly, the textiles saw a considerable growth approximately $43 billions, hence the percentage of export rose to 15.24 in 2016
Inclusion, the petroleum and textile sectors changed significantly, and agricultural products increased slightly, while gems and jewellery saw the biggest loss.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the data, but there are significant inaccuracies in the reporting of figures. For instance, the student mentions 2017, which is not present in the data, and misinterprets the percentage change figures (e.g., claiming textiles rose to 15.24% when the table shows a 15.24% increase). The overview is present but lacks precision. To improve, ensure that data points are transcribed accurately from the source and that the distinction between absolute values and percentage changes is clearly maintained. The summary of trends is generally accurate, but the lack of attention to detail regarding the specific data provided limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or misused. For example, 'Inclusion' is used incorrectly as a transition for the conclusion. While there is a clear progression of ideas, the referencing is occasionally confusing, such as the transition between the bar graph data and the table data. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used in the correct context would enhance the flow and coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use topic-specific language like 'upward trend', 'trajectory', and 'considerable growth'. However, there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'leaned towards to the downward trends' and 'shy off higher'. Some phrasing is awkward, which occasionally impacts the clarity of the information presented. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that vocabulary is used in a natural, idiomatic way rather than relying on slightly forced academic-sounding phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. These include subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'agricultural products export were'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'unit measured in percentage'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of currency symbols and commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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