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 bar graph displays the value of one country's exports in various categories. The table provides data on the percentage change in each category of exports. Both information id of the years 2015 and 2016.

Overall, the value of exports in petroleum products and engineered goods is the most significant in 2015 and 2016, while, the least significant is recorded as textiles and agricultural products. In the table, textile has a considerably higher percentage, while, agricultural products experiences a low percentage.

In the bar graph, petroleum products and engineered goods in both of the years has a slight difference, they are at around $70 billions more or less. In 2016, gem and jewellery minimally decreased from the previous year, approximately around $50 billion. The agricultural products remain constant approximately at $40 billion. In 2015, textiles export earnings were around $35 billion and in 2016 it drastically increased to just over $40 billion.

Textiles, engineered goods, petroleum and agricultural products experiences an increase in 2016 from the previous year of 15.24%, 8.5%, 3% and 0.81% respectively. However, gems and jewellery faced a decrease of 5.18%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main features and include the percentage changes, correctly identifying textiles as the strongest increase and gems and jewellery as the only decline. The overview also notes that petroleum products and engineered goods were the leading categories. However, several chart values and comparisons are misread: petroleum and engineered goods were about $61–63 billion, not around $70 billion; gems were about $41–43 billion, not $50 billion; and agricultural products were about $31 billion, not $40 billion. Textiles rose from about $26 billion to $31 billion, rather than from $35 billion to over $40 billion. These errors weaken the accuracy of the account, and the overview’s ranking of the lowest categories is not precise. Prioritise accurate figures and clearer comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable four-paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, details from the bar chart, and the percentage changes. This makes the information broadly easy to follow, and contrast markers such as “Overall” and “However” help signal relationships. However, progression within the chart paragraph is uneven: the categories are discussed in a sequence without consistently highlighting the most useful comparisons, and the overview’s “while” clauses are awkwardly punctuated. Some linking is mechanical, particularly the repeated “In 2016” and “In 2015” openings. Grouping the highest-value categories together, then the lower-value ones, and using clearer references to the years would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “exports,” “percentage change,” “remained constant,” “increased,” and “decreased,” so the reader can understand the general subject and trends. There is also some attempt at more formal description, such as “considerably higher.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural: “most significant” and “least significant” do not clearly mean highest and lowest export values, while “drastically increased” overstates the modest rise in textiles. Phrases such as “around $70 billions more or less” are also awkward and imprecise. Aim for accurate chart language and natural collocations, and avoid intensifiers unless the data supports them.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “while” and a sentence beginning “However,” and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless recur. For example, “Both information id of the years” has an incorrect subject construction and verb, and “petroleum products and engineered goods … has” should use a plural verb. “Textiles, engineered goods, petroleum and agricultural products experiences” also has subject–verb disagreement. There are problems with articles and number in “the value of exports … is the most significant” and “$70 billions.” Work on agreement with compound subjects, singular/plural forms, and complete, well-formed clauses; these corrections would make your comparisons clearer.

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