Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-23

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 6.0)

The bar chart illustrates the export earning of one country and the percentage change in values in five categories between 2015 and 2016. The five categories are petroleum products, engineered goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products and textiles.

Overall, the petroleum products accounted for the highest export earnings in both years, whereas textiles recorded the lowest export earnings in both years.

Initially, the petroleum products earning were above 65 billion in both years. Although, the engineered goods in 2016 were also above 65 billion but the earnings in 2015 were nearly 60 billion. Moreover, The earnings from gems and jewellery were above 50 billion in both years. Meanwhile, the agriculture products were nearly the same and they were above 40 billion in both years. In 2016, the textiles was above 40 billion but in 2015 they were under 40 billion. On the other hand, The value of textiles increased by 15.24% and the agricultural products increased by 0.81%, the engineered goods increased by 3% also the petroleum products also increased by 8.5% but the gems and jewelry decreased by 5.18%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the data and provided a clear overview. You included all five categories and made relevant comparisons between the two years. However, the report lacks precision in data reporting. For example, stating that petroleum products were 'above 65 billion' is vague when the chart provides specific figures. To reach a higher band, you should aim to cite the exact figures provided in the table to support your descriptions. Additionally, ensure that the percentage changes are integrated more smoothly into the narrative rather than being listed at the end of the paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Initially', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader. However, the transition between describing the absolute values and the percentage changes is somewhat abrupt. The final paragraph is a bit of a list; using more varied linking words or grouping the data by trends (e.g., categories that increased vs. those that decreased) would improve the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'export earnings', and 'categories'. However, there is some repetition of phrases such as 'above 65 billion' and 'in both years'. To improve, try to use a wider variety of reporting verbs and synonyms for 'increase' or 'decrease' (e.g., 'rose', 'climbed', 'dipped', 'fell'). You also have minor errors in word choice, such as 'textiles was' (should be plural 'textiles were'). Expanding your range of descriptive language will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'petroleum products earning were' (should be 'earnings were') and 'the textiles was' (should be 'textiles were'). Additionally, there are some punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary capitalization of 'The' in the middle of sentences. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation to improve your accuracy.

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

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