Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05
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 graph and table illustrate the total value of a country's exports in various categories and the percentage change in each category of exports during 2015 and 2016.
Overall, petroleum products were dominating the export earnings of the country which was eventually surpassed by engineered goods. Furthermore except gems and jewellery all other sectors had witnessed an increase in export earnings.
A detailed analysis of the graph shows that in 2015, petroleum products was leading the exports table with 61 billion export earnings followed by engineered goods at 60 billion export earnings and gems and jewellery at 55 billion export earnings then agricultural products at 42 billion export earnings and at last textiles at 40 billion export earnings.
Furthermore petroleum products were overtaken by engineered good by having a significant increase of 8.5% and export earnings of 66 billion in 2016; whereas petroleum products had a slight increase of 3% and export earnings of 65 billion in same period followed by gems and jewellery which had a moderate decline of 5.18% and export earnings of 50 billion then textiles where it had the highest growth in the table of 15.24% and export earnings of 43 billion at last agricultural products and it had a negligible growth of 0.81% and export earnings of 42 billion.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response effectively identifies the main features of the data, including the overall trends and specific comparisons between 2015 and 2016. You successfully highlighted the shift in the leading export category and noted the growth or decline in each sector. The inclusion of both the absolute values and the percentage changes demonstrates a good grasp of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview is even more distinct and that the comparison between categories is more analytical rather than just listing figures. The summary is accurate and covers all parts of the prompt well.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the transition between the description of 2015 and 2016 is smoother. Some sentences are slightly long and could be broken down to improve readability and logical impact. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to a coherent response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'export earnings', 'surpassed', 'negligible growth', and 'moderate decline'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'petroleum products was leading' (should be 'were leading') and 'at last agricultural products' (which is slightly informal). Expanding your range to include more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would enhance your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are several grammatical errors that persist, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('petroleum products was leading') and awkward phrasing ('by having a significant increase of 8.5%'). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentences are run-on, making them harder to parse. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of prepositions and articles. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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