Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-01
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 illustration gives the information about the export earning (in billions) of a country in different type of goods from 2015 to 2016. Overall, Even after the amendments happened in 2016 in terms of values of exportations but the petroleum and engineered products were two highest categories among the other in terms of earning and no big change can be witnessed in terms of revenue generation in all categories throughout two years.
It is quite evident from the bar chart that the major portion of earning came from the Petroleum and Engineered products in both years. Exportation of Textiles and Agricultural products were the least successfuls among the other categories of goods in making the revenue. Whereas the Gems and Jewellery exportation made a reasonable capital as compared to the least successfull categories.
Meanwhile as per the given tabular data shows the percentage changed in the values of exportation in 2016 is quite minimal in almost all categories except significant percentage change happened in textiles and also a reasonable change happened in petroleum products exportation.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the main parts of the task by identifying petroleum products and engineered goods as the highest-earning categories and noting general trends across the years. However, some parts are only partially developed or lack precision. For instance, the student states that 'no big change can be witnessed in terms of revenue generation in all categories,' which overlooks the notable absolute increases in petroleum and textiles, as well as the exact percentage changes provided in the table. The overview is somewhat vague, and specific data points could have been utilized more effectively to support the comparisons. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to select and report key data more comprehensively, ensuring that general trends are backed by accurate figures from both the chart and the table without overgeneralising.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay has a basic structure with an introduction and body paragraphs, providing a coherent overall arrangement. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by mechanical and repetitive transitions, such as starting sentences with 'Whereas' or 'Meanwhile as per the given tabular data shows.' Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within paragraphs feels disjointed due to awkward referencing and phrasing. For instance, sentences like 'exportation of Textiles and Agricultural products were the least successfuls among the other categories' disrupt the logical flow. To improve, the writer should use a wider variety of cohesive devices more flexibly and ensure that the links between sentences and paragraphs guide the reader smoothly through the comparison of data.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate basic ideas about export earnings and categories. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices that restrict the range, such as 'export earning,' 'least successfuls,' 'reasonable capital,' and 'percentage changed.' The student attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'amendments' and 'revenue generation,' but these are occasionally used inaccurately or inappropriately in this context. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to expand their vocabulary range with precise terms for describing data trends, such as 'fluctuate,' 'surge,' or 'decline,' and eliminate word-formation and collocation errors to ensure smoother communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on basic patterns with frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. There are noticeable issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition use, such as 'gives the information about' and 'in different type of goods.' Attempts at more complex sentences often contain structural flaws, as seen in the convoluted sentence: 'Overall, Even after the amendments happened in 2016 in terms of values of exportations but the petroleum and engineered products were...'. Punctuation errors, such as incorrect comma splices and capitalization issues, also occur. To improve, the writer must focus on increasing grammatical accuracy, reducing frequent basic errors, and constructing reliable complex sentences with correct clauses and modifiers.
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