Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07

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 diagram illustrated below shows the percentage change in each category of exports and comparing exports done in 2016 and in 2015. Starting from the very left side, the pertroleum products graph, both bars are higher if compared with other pairs. In this the the 2016 bar is slightly higher than 2015 by 3 percent of increase. The Engineered goods graph pair are slightly lower than previous graph pair. In this also the the 2016 bar is greater than that of 2015 one by 8.5 percent. Than there is visible downgrade in export earnings graph. Starting from Gems and jewellary graph, if was seen that 2015 bar was quite higher than the 2016 bar by 5.18 percent. After that we have agricultural products graph, where 2016 bar is higher than 2015 bar by 0.18 percent. Then at the last we have textiles graph where 2016 bar was seen higher than 2015 by 15.24 percent.

AI examiner evaluation

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

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies several relevant comparisons, including petroleum as the highest category, the fall in gems and jewellery, and textiles as the strongest increase. However, it does not provide a clear overall summary of the main features, and it misreports agricultural products: the table gives a 0.81% increase, not 0.18%. The opening also describes the graphic as showing percentage changes, although it presents export values in billions alongside percentage changes. The response is under the required 150 words; the nine words copied from the task prompt are excluded from the count. To improve, add a concise overview of the highest and lowest values and the main trends, then report the figures accurately and cover the key comparisons more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the categories in chart order, so readers can generally track which export group is being discussed. Sequencing phrases such as “Starting from,” “After that,” and “at the last” provide some organisation. However, the writing reads as a single running list rather than a clearly structured report, with no distinct overview and limited grouping of the main trends. Repeated constructions such as “In this also” and “graph pair” make the progression mechanical, while “Than there is visible downgrade” does not clearly connect the ideas. Use separate paragraphs for an overview and supporting details, and organise comparisons by trend or value rather than narrating each bar pair in turn.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

There is enough vocabulary to identify the categories and describe basic comparisons, including “slightly higher,” “increase,” and “downgrade.” However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or unnatural for a data report: “bar diagram,” “exports done,” and “graph pair” do not describe the information clearly. Spelling errors such as “pertroleum” and “jewellary” also reduce accuracy. Some repetition of “higher” and “bar” makes the account less precise. Aim for standard chart language and accurate category names, using terms such as “export earnings,” “rose,” “declined,” and “remained stable” where they match the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response communicates a basic sequence of comparisons, but its sentence structures are mostly simple and repetitive, with attempts at more complex phrasing often faulty. For example, “shows the percentage change … and comparing exports” does not form a parallel grammatical construction, and “if was seen that 2015 bar was quite higher” contains errors in clause structure and comparison. There are also repeated article and agreement problems, as in “the 2016 bar is greater than that of 2015 one.” The doubled phrase “the the” and inconsistent tense control further affect accuracy. Practise forming clear comparison sentences with accurate articles and past-tense reporting, and proofread for repeated words and sentence boundaries.

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

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