Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

The bar chart illustrates the value of a country’s exports in five product categories in 2015 and 2016, while the table indicates the percentage change in export earnings over the same period.

Overall, petroleum products and engineered goods generated the highest export revenues in both years, whereas textiles earned the least in 2015. Most categories experienced growth in 2016, with textiles recording by far the largest increase. In contrast, the value of gems and jewellery declined.

Petroleum exports rose modestly from approximately $65 billion in 2015 to $68 billion in 2016, representing a 3% increase. Similarly, earnings from engineered goods climbed from about $62 billion to $66 billion, an 8.5% rise. These two categories remained the country’s most valuable exports in both years.

By comparison, earnings from gems and jewellery fell from roughly $54 billion to $51 billion, equivalent to a 5.18% decrease, making it the only category to experience a decline. Agricultural products showed virtually no change, increasing marginally by 0.81%, from around $42 billion.

Finally, although textiles had the lowest export value in 2015, at approximately $37 billion, earnings increased substantially to about $43 billion in 2016. This represents the largest percentage growth among all five categories, at 15.24%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified all key features, including the highest and lowest earners, the growth trends, and the single category that experienced a decline. The inclusion of specific data points from both the bar chart and the table is accurate and well-integrated. You have provided a clear overview that highlights the main trends without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. The comparison between categories is logical and effectively supports the summary. You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt, making the information easy to follow and interpret.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively by category and trend. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', 'By comparison', and 'Finally' is natural and helps the reader navigate the data smoothly. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, and the progression of ideas is logical. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive linking; the flow is sophisticated and supports the overall clarity of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and precise range of vocabulary. Phrases like 'generated the highest export revenues', 'recorded by far the largest increase', and 'increasing marginally' show a high level of control. The use of topic-specific language is accurate and appropriate for an academic report. There are no spelling errors, and the word choices are consistently precise, allowing for a natural and professional tone throughout the response. The vocabulary is well-suited to the task and contributes significantly to the overall quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while the table indicates...', 'although textiles had the lowest...') and participial phrases ('representing a 3% increase'). The grammar is highly accurate, with no noticeable errors in tense, subject-verb agreement, or punctuation. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over complex structures is consistent. This level of accuracy and variety is indicative of a high-band performance, as the writing is both sophisticated and error-free.

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

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