Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-09

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 chart depicts the cost of a single country's export earning in various categories between the period of 2015 to 2016. The table illustrates the percentage change in each category of exports of 2016 with the comparison of 2015.

Overall, the Petroleum products and engineered goods accounted the highest value of export earnings. While, Agricultural products and textiles are the worst performer in the both years. But for the percentage change, Textiles had reflected the highest percentage of change in values.

Firstly, the Petroleum products and Engineered goods had shown similar numbers during both years. For petroleum products, the number was 65 billion dollars in 2015 which was slightly increased with around 2 billion dollars in 2016. Similarly, in Engineered goods, the numbers were noted at 60 billion dollars which were increased in 2016 with 5 billion dollars. However, the earnings from gems and Jewelry had reduced over the time. it was at 52 billion dollars in 2015 which is decreased by 2 billion dollars during a year. The Textiles shown massive growth during a year which is 35 billion dollars in 2015 and reached at 42 billion dollars in 2016. While, Agricultural producst

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have identified the main features and provided relevant comparisons, such as noting the growth in textiles and the stability of petroleum products. However, the response is incomplete as it ends abruptly mid-sentence ('While, Agricultural producst'). This failure to finish the summary and include the final data points significantly impacts the task completion. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a complete overview and cover all categories mentioned in the prompt without leaving sentences unfinished. The data is generally accurate, but the lack of a conclusion or a fully developed final paragraph prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Firstly', and 'However'. However, the progression of ideas is interrupted by the incomplete final sentence, which disrupts the flow of the response. Referencing is generally clear, but the mechanical use of some transitions makes the writing feel slightly repetitive. To improve, focus on ensuring that each paragraph leads logically to the next and that the essay reaches a natural conclusion rather than stopping mid-thought.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, such as 'accounted for', 'export earnings', and 'massive growth'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'worst performer' (should be 'worst-performing categories') and 'reduced over the time'. Additionally, there are minor spelling errors like 'producst'. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and adjectives would help improve the quality of your analysis.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use some complex forms, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'accounted the highest value' (should be 'accounted for'), 'in the both years', and 'it was at 52 billion dollars in 2015 which is decreased' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is generally functional, but the incomplete sentence at the end is a major issue. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and maintaining consistent tense usage when describing historical data.

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

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