Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The bar chart illustrates the export earnings of a country from different types of products in 2015 and 2016.

Overall, it can be seen that petroleum and engineering products generated the highest export earnings in both years, whereas textiles generated the lowest. Furthermore, export earnings from petroleum and engineering products increased slightly, while those from gems and jewellery declined.

Petroleum products generated $70 billion in export earnings in 2015, rising slightly to $71 billion in 2016, which were the highest figures in both years. Meanwhile, engineering products earned approximately $67 billion in 2015 and $70 billion in 2016, following closely behind petroleum.

Gems and jewellery generated $51 billion in 2015, before falling slightly to $50 billion in 2016. Agricultural products recorded export earnings of $40 billion in 2015 and $40.5 billion in 2016. In contrast, textiles showed the most significant increase, rising from $35 billion in 2015 to $41 billion in 2016.

In percentage terms, textile exports experienced the largest increase, at approximately 17.1%. Engineering products and agricultural products also increased, by about 4.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Petroleum exports rose by around 1.4%, while gems and jewellery was the only category to experience a decline, falling by approximately 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.5
Lexical Resource7.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy7.5
Overall7.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and successfully selected key data points to support your summary. The comparison between the two years is well-handled, and the inclusion of both absolute values and percentage changes demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the data. The information is accurate, and the report is well-structured, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the main features of the export categories. You have successfully met the requirements of the prompt by summarizing the information and making relevant comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the overview and the detailed body paragraphs. Each paragraph has a clear focus, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Meanwhile', and 'In contrast' is effective and natural. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly throughout the text. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the referencing is clear, ensuring that the reader can easily track the comparisons being made between the different export categories.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information with precision. Terms such as 'generated', 'export earnings', 'recorded', and 'experienced a decline' are used accurately and appropriately in the context of the task. The use of 'in percentage terms' and 'respectively' shows a good command of academic register. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the task well, there is room for a slightly wider range of less common lexical items to reach the highest band. However, the current range is more than adequate for a clear and professional report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good control of a variety of grammatical structures. You have successfully used complex sentences, such as 'Petroleum products generated $70 billion in export earnings in 2015, rising slightly to $71 billion in 2016, which were the highest figures in both years.' The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to manage the flow of information. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The use of participial phrases and comparative structures shows a high level of grammatical competence.

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