Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-24
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 presents data of change in profits export profits from year 2015 to 2016. The data comprises of 5 different distinct product classification. The unit is measured in $ billions.
Overall, it is observed every commodity has displayed an upward trend except for Gems and jewellery. Textiles had the maximum rise and Agricultural goods the least.
The statistics highlights petroleum and Engineering engineered goods to have the maximum export nearly about 60 $ billions. However, both textiles and Agricultural Commodity had somewhere between 30 to 40 $ billions worth of export.
By contrast, considering the alterations made to the change in values, clothing had the highest shift with 15.24% increase, followed by Engineered goods and Gems and petroleum with around 8% and 3% respectively. However, Jewellery was only the segment with descending shift of 5.18%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main features and included some comparisons, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You have correctly highlighted the upward trends and the exception of jewellery, but the data reporting is inconsistent. For instance, you mention 'petroleum and Engineering engineered goods' having high exports, but the table provided in the prompt would require more precise extraction of data points to fully support your summary. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview of the data and meet the length requirement to allow for full development of your points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs, which is a good structure for Task 1. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'However', and 'By contrast' to signal shifts in the data. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, the transition between the general overview and the specific data points could be smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow feels slightly disjointed due to the brevity of the sentences and the lack of more sophisticated linking words to connect the trends described.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You use terms like 'upward trend', 'maximum rise', and 'descending shift' effectively, but there are some inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'Engineering engineered goods' and 'data comprises of'. The word 'shift' is used repeatedly, which limits the lexical range. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'experienced a marginal decline', and ensure you avoid redundant phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally affect the clarity of your writing. For example, 'The statistics highlights' contains a subject-verb agreement error, and 'The data comprises of' is an incorrect prepositional usage. Additionally, the phrasing 'Jewellery was only the segment' is grammatically awkward. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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