Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-19
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 5.0)
The bar chart illustrates the comparative data for changing figures of five exported items in a country in the year 2015 and 2016.
Overall the highest revenue recorded was more above $ 70 billion from petroleum products in both years. Meanwhile the least numbers were recorded from textile industry in 2015 well above $ 30 billion and under $ 40 billion in 2016.
The trend fluctuated in both years, earnings from engineered goods were increased in 2016 ($ 70 billion) in comparison to 2015 (well under $ 70 billion). Whereas, for gems and jewellery more above $ 50 billion income was earned in 2015 and the number decreased to become $ 50 billion in 2016. However, the value for agricultural products were slightly higher around $ 42 billion in 2016 than in 2015 $ 40 billion.
In conclusion the income increased in 2016 for all the categories except for gems and jewellery.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5
The student attempts to address the task by summarizing the provided chart data, identifying several categories and making general comparisons. However, there are significant data inaccuracies throughout the response. For example, the student states that petroleum products revenue was 'more above $70 billion', whereas the actual figures were around $61 billion in 2015 and $63 billion. Similarly, the figures cited for engineered goods ($70 billion) and agricultural products ($40–42 billion) do not match the factual reference. Furthermore, the overview fails to accurately capture the main trends, and the conclusion contains factual contradictions regarding the percentage changes. Consequently, the response only partially covers the task requirements with substantial data misinterpretation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into four paragraphs, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion, providing a basic structural framework. However, the logical progression is hindered by inaccurate information and poor cohesive links. The student uses basic transition markers such as 'Meanwhile', 'Whereas', and 'However', but these are occasionally misused or fail to create clear semantic relationships between sentences. Additionally, paragraphing is not utilized to group distinct trends effectively, leading to a disjointed reading experience that lacks clear overall cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical range is limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic vocabulary such as 'revenue', 'numbers', 'earnings', and 'income'. There are also awkward collocations and imprecise expressions, such as 'more above' and 'becoming $50 billion'. While the student attempts some topic-specific vocabulary related to exports and categories, the high frequency of inaccurate data reporting makes it difficult to assess true lexical control for precision. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word choice errors restrict the score to the lower band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and attempted complex sentence structures. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors including incorrect verb tenses and passive/active confusion, such as 'earnings from engineered goods were increased'. Punctuation is basic, and awkward phrasing frequently impedes clarity. While some simple sentences are error-free, the high density of structural errors and awkwardness prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
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