Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-01
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 given bar chart compares earnings of different exported goods in a country between 2015 and 2016, along with representing the percentage change in their values.
Overall, income from petroleum products, engineered goods, agricultural products, and textiles increased, while gems and jwellery generated less earnings.
In 2015, petroleum products made $70 billion, compared with about $73 billion in 2016, making it the most significant product. From about $65 billion in 2015, earnings from engineered goods surged to about $72 in 2016, which represented a 8.5% rise. The increase in earnings from agricultural products had the least margin of about 0.81%. Selling textiles overseas accounted for about $25 billion earnings in 2015, rising to about $52% in 2016, which was a rise by 15.24%.
Export of gems and jwellery witnessed a decrease in earnings from $58 billion in 2015 to $63 billion in 2016. This is equivalent to a 5.18% drop in the value of product.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall trends and specific figures for 2015 and 2016. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state that textiles rose to 'about $52% in 2016', which is a confusing mix of currency and percentage units. Furthermore, you claim gems and jewellery decreased from $58 billion to $63 billion, which is a mathematical contradiction. While the overview is clear, the failure to accurately transcribe and interpret the provided data points significantly impacts the task achievement, as the information presented is factually incorrect based on the provided source.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is a clear progression of ideas, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'In 2015', 'compared with', and 'while' helps to link the information. However, the internal cohesion within the third paragraph is weakened by the confusing presentation of data regarding textiles and the contradictory statement about gems and jewellery. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of exports, and the overall structure is easy to follow despite the factual errors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'surged', 'accounted for', and 'witnessed a decrease'. However, there are some issues with word choice and precision. For example, 'jwellery' is misspelled, and the use of 'about $52%' is a lexical error that confuses the reader. While you attempt to use less common vocabulary to describe trends, the inaccuracies in reporting the data detract from the overall quality of the lexical resource. To reach a higher band, ensure that your vocabulary is used to convey precise, accurate information.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The given bar chart compares earnings... along with representing the percentage change'. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'a rise by 15.24%' (which should be 'of 15.24%') and the confusing phrasing in the third paragraph. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to suggest a lack of full control over complex structures. The punctuation is generally accurate, but the sentence construction could be more varied and precise to improve the overall flow.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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