Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03

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 4.0)

In this graph we saw in 2015 petroleum products rate is less than 70 but in 2016 petroleum rate is equal than 70 . In 2015 engineered goods rate is equal than 6 but 2016 his rate his up than 6 . In 2015 Gems and jewellery rate is upper than 2016 rate . Agricultural products rate is less than in 2015 but in 2016 his rate is upper . Textiles rate is less than 40 in 2015 but in 2016 is rate is upper than 40 . This is a product category rates . Now we come to percentage change into values 2015 to 2016 . In 2016 petroleum products is upper than 3 percent into Engineered goods . In 2016 Gems and jewellery rate is less than 5.18 percent . In 2016 agricultural products is upper than petroleum products 0.81 percent . In 2016 Textiles is upper than petroleum products 15.24 percent .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to address the task but fails to provide a clear overview or a logical summary of the data. The description of the figures is repetitive and lacks precision, often using vague terms like 'upper than' instead of specific comparative language. While the student identifies some trends, the report lacks a cohesive structure and fails to highlight the most significant features of the data effectively. The information provided is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to grasp the overall trends in export values and percentage changes. To improve, focus on grouping related data and using accurate terminology to describe increases and decreases.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response lacks logical organization and progression. There is no clear paragraphing, and the transition between the description of the export values and the percentage changes is abrupt. Cohesive devices are almost entirely absent, and the sentences are linked in a mechanical and repetitive manner. The use of referencing is unclear, particularly with the frequent misuse of 'his' to refer to inanimate categories. The overall structure is fragmented, which hinders the flow of information and makes the response difficult to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies heavily on basic phrases such as 'rate is less than' or 'rate is upper than', which are not appropriate for describing statistical data. There is a lack of variety in the language used to describe trends, and the word choice is often inaccurate (e.g., using 'rate' to describe export values). To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate a wider range of vocabulary related to data analysis, such as 'increased by', 'declined to', 'fluctuated', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede communication. There is a lack of control over basic sentence structures, and the misuse of prepositions and comparative forms is persistent (e.g., 'equal than', 'upper than'). The use of pronouns is incorrect, as the student frequently refers to export categories as 'his'. There is no evidence of complex sentence structures, and the reliance on simple, error-prone sentences limits the range. Significant improvement in basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement is required.

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