Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-08

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 following table shows us the export values of a country in various industries during the years 2015 and 2016. The chart is a box plot by nature having the industries at the x-axis and the amount in $Billions. It shows the all the major export industries; petroleum products, engineered goods, gems and jewllery, agriculture products and textlies. The export of petroleum products can be seen around $60 Billion in 2015 and in 2016 it can be seen nearing around $65 Billion with a 3% increase in the total exports compared to 2015. The next box plot graph indicates the export of engineered goods in 2015 which were near to $55 Billion and in 2016 there was a great growth of 8.5% in the total number of exports of engineered goods. Moving forward on the x-axis we can see the exports of gems and jewellery in 2015 and 2016 but the pattern shows a decrease of 5.18% in the exports of gems and jewellery in 2016 compared to 2015. Export of agricultural products in the year 2015 and 2016 can be seen next with a slight increase of 0.81% in 2016 compared to the previous year. Lastly we can see the textile exports for 2015 and 2016 with the biggest jump in export value around 15.24% compared to 2015. To conclude the industry of textile had the highest percentage of increase compared to last year across all the categories summing up to around 15.24% and the only decrease in percentage can be seen in the gems and jewellery industry.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main categories and report several key changes accurately, including the decline in gems and jewellery and the largest percentage rise in textiles. However, the response does not give a clear, data-based overview of the overall export values, and some comparisons are incomplete or inaccurate. For example, engineered goods rose from about $57 billion to $62 billion, but you mention only the percentage increase and describe the 2015 figure as near $55 billion. Agricultural exports were approximately $31 billion in both years, so describing this as an increase is not supported by the chart, despite the table’s small percentage figure. Also, petroleum exports were about $63 billion in 2016, rather than nearly $65 billion. Select the most important patterns and support them with accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the chart categories in a generally understandable order, and phrases such as “Moving forward” and “Lastly” help signal progression. However, it is presented as one long paragraph, so the overview and supporting details are not clearly separated. The repeated formula “we can see” and the step-by-step references to the x-axis make the account feel mechanical rather than organised around the main comparisons. The conclusion repeats the textile increase and the gems decline instead of adding a concise overview near the beginning. Use a short introduction, a distinct overview, and one or two detail paragraphs grouped by trends—for example, the higher-value categories and the smaller or changing categories. This would make the progression clearer and reduce repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “export values,” “percentage,” “increase,” and “decrease,” and the categories are mostly identifiable. However, the range is limited by repeated wording such as “we can see,” “exports,” and “compared to,” while some choices are inaccurate for this visual. Calling the graphic a “box plot” is incorrect: it is a bar chart accompanied by a table. “Great growth” and “biggest jump” are informal and imprecise, and “total number of exports” does not describe export value. There are also spelling errors in “jewllery” and “textlies.” Use precise chart language and vary verbs such as “stood at,” “rose,” and “fell,” while checking spelling and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, and most of the meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors and awkward constructions persist, however. In the opening, “It shows the all the major export industries” has an unnecessary article and an unclear pronoun; “The chart covers five major export categories” would be more controlled. The phrase “in 2016 there was a great growth” uses an unnatural structure, and “the only decrease in percentage can be seen” is an awkward passive construction. Several sentences are joined into a long sequence with repeated clauses, which makes punctuation and sentence control less secure. Aim for shorter, well-punctuated comparisons, while retaining some complex forms—for example, “Although textile earnings rose most sharply, gems and jewellery was the only category to decline.”

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.