Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-12
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 compares the export earnings of five different product categories in 2015 and 2016, while the accompanying information shows the percentage change in their values over the same period.
Overall, petroleum products generated the highest export earnings in both years, while textiles experienced the largest percentage increase. In contrast, gems and jewellery was the only category to record a decline in export value.
In 2015, petroleum products generated approximately $62 billion in export earnings, and this figure rose to around $67 billion in 2016, representing an increase of 8.5%. Similarly, earnings from engineered goods increased from about $60 billion to $62 billion, equivalent to a 3% rise.
By contrast, earnings from gems and jewellery fell from approximately $54 billion in 2015 to $51 billion in 2016, a decrease of 5.18%. Agricultural products showed almost no change, rising marginally by just 0.81%. Meanwhile, textiles recorded the most significant growth, increasing from around $37 billion to $43 billion, which represented a rise of 15.24%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by covering the export earnings of five different categories in 2015 and 2016 alongside the percentage changes. The main features are clearly identified and reported, such as petroleum products generating the highest earnings and gems and jewellery recording a decline. The overview is concise and accurately captures the overarching trends. Data points are appropriately selected and integrated into the response, for example, noting that petroleum products rose from 'approximately $62 billion' to 'around $67 billion'. Comparisons are made effectively between categories, satisfying all requirements of the prompt at a high level. The response demonstrates a clear understanding of the visual data provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow. Ideas are structured cohesively with a clear division into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and well-organized body paragraphs detailing specific data. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively, such as 'while', 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'By contrast'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate general trends from specific statistical details. There is a clear logical progression throughout the text, guiding the reader smoothly from the overview to the specific figures for each category without any confusion or unnecessary repetition.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible range of vocabulary suited to academic task reporting. Items such as 'export earnings', 'product categories', 'percentage increase', 'record a decline', and 'marginally' show a strong command of topic-specific language. Word choice and collocation are generally accurate, with phrases like 'generated the highest export earnings' and 'most significant growth' used naturally. Although the vocabulary is largely standard for this type of task rather than exceptionally sophisticated, it is used with good control, allowing the writer to convey precise numerical and comparative information smoothly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing exhibits a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as 'The bar chart compares the export earnings of five different product categories in 2015 and 2016, while the accompanying information shows...' and participial phrases like 'representing an increase of 8.5%'. The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating strong control over grammar and punctuation. Verb tenses are handled correctly to describe past data ('generated', 'rose', 'fell'). Minor errors or awkward structures are virtually absent, placing this response comfortably within the higher band descriptors for grammatical accuracy and range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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