Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-06

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 proportion change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015. In addition, below the bart chart also demonstrates the value of one country's exports in various varieties of during 2015 and 2016.

Overall, petroleum products and engine goods experienced a largest increased in earnings in both years, while textiles had the lowest earnings. In addition, most categories experienced an increase in export earnings, with gems and jewellery being the only category to decline.

Looking first at bar chart, pertrolum products generated the highest export earnings, 65 billion in 2015, comapred with approximately 68 billion in 2016. Moreover, engine goods earned second largest figures of export earnings, its incraesed from about 60 billion to 65 billion. Gems and jewellery fell slightly, roughly from 52 billion to 50 billion. Furthermore, argriculture products were approximately remained unchanged in both years, stood at around 43 billion, whereas, textile had the smallest figures of export earnings, its rose slightly from 38 billion to 43 billion.

Turning to the percentage change in values, all categories were experienced increase in both years, petroleum products and engineered goods rose 3% in both years, while, textile experienced a largest increased in both years, that was 15.24%. Moreover, argriculture increase 0.81%, and gems and jewellery decreased slightly to 5.18% in 2015 and 2016.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad pattern that most categories rose and that gems and jewellery declined, and you attempt to cover both the chart and the percentage table. However, several figures and comparisons do not match the visual: petroleum is about $61bn and $63bn, not $65bn and $68bn; textiles are about $26bn and $31bn, not $38bn and $43bn. The overview also incorrectly says textiles had the lowest earnings, when agricultural products were lower in 2015 and textiles were lowest only in 2016. The percentage discussion misreports engineered goods as rising by 3% rather than 8.5%, and says petroleum and engineered goods rose 3% in both years. These inaccuracies and unclear reporting mean the main features are only partially conveyed. Prioritise accurate key figures and distinguish earnings from percentage changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that attempt to discuss the chart and table separately. This gives the reader some guidance, and phrases such as “Looking first” and “Turning to” signal a change of focus. However, progression is weakened by unclear references and repetitive linking. For example, “all categories were experienced increase in both years” is difficult to connect to the table, while “in both years” is repeated even though the percentages compare 2016 with 2015. Some sentences combine several comparisons without clear punctuation, particularly the final paragraph. Use one paragraph for the chart and one for the table, and organise each around the largest, smallest, and notable changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “generated,” “decline,” and “percentage change,” so the subject is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems make parts awkward or unclear. Examples include “engine goods” instead of “engineered goods,” “proportion change” for “percentage change,” and “a largest increased” for “the largest increase.” There are also misspellings such as “pertrolum,” “comapred,” and “argriculture.” Avoid repeating “earned” and “increased” when describing every category; use accurate chart language such as “stood at,” “rose to,” and “fell by.” Proofreading category names and common collocations would improve precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences and use comparison structures, for example “while gems and jewellery being the only category to decline” and “whereas, textile had the smallest figures.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “experienced a largest increased,” “its incraesed from,” and “agriculture products were approximately remained unchanged.” The sentence “all categories were experienced increase” also has an incorrect verb construction, while “gems and jewellery decreased slightly to 5.18% in 2015 and 2016” does not express the comparison clearly. Practise accurate past-tense reporting, articles, subject–verb patterns, and sentence boundaries. Prefer a clear, correct sentence over a longer structure that is difficult to control.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.