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 provided bar chart illustrates the export earnings of a nation in various types product such as petroleum, engineering, jewellery and gems, agriculture and textile goods during the years 2015 and 2016. Additionally, a tabular chart shows the change of income in percentage in 2016 compared with previous year.

Overall, apart from jems and jewellery, there was a significant rise of revenue from all the categories of goods. Although, textile goods was accounted for highest rise in percentage, the revenue was least compared to all other type of products.

Focusing on the maximum revenue generated category, Petroleum goods were recorded for maximum generated income for both the years. Specifically, there was earnings of more than 60 billion US dollars in 2015, which was increased by 3% and total income was 70 billion US dollars in the following year. Similarly, engineering goods had 8.5% proportion of rise in the latest year. Perticularly, it was somewhare between 50 to 60 billion US dollars which was shifted to slightly more than 70 billion US dollars.

Furthermore, agriculture product earnings was recorded with slight increase in income. It had 30 billion US dollars and by the

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the two visuals and make a relevant attempt at an overview, noting that textiles had the largest percentage increase and that gems and jewellery declined. However, the overview is inaccurate in saying that all other categories rose significantly: agricultural earnings were almost unchanged, and the chart shows only modest increases for petroleum and engineered goods. Several figures are also misreported. Petroleum rose from about $61 billion to $63 billion, not $70 billion, while engineered goods increased from about $57 billion to $62 billion, not to more than $70 billion. The response also ends mid-sentence while discussing agriculture and does not report the remaining categories. Select the main trends accurately and support them with correctly read figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs beginning with “Focusing on” and “Furthermore.” These help the reader see that you are moving between categories. However, progression is incomplete because the final paragraph stops at “by the,” leaving the agricultural comparison unfinished and the discussion of gems, jewellery, and textiles absent. Some linking is also mechanical or awkward, such as “Similarly” introducing engineered goods without clearly explaining the comparison. Grouping the categories by trend—for example, increases versus the decline and near-stability—would create a clearer progression. Complete each paragraph and use references such as “this figure” only when their meaning is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “percentage,” “revenue,” and “generated income,” so the topic is generally clear. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “various types product,” “change of income in percentage,” and “recorded for maximum generated income” make the description less precise. Spelling errors such as “jems,” “Perticularly,” and “somewhare” are noticeable, and “goods” is repeated where the category names could be used more directly. Aim for standard chart language and accurate category labels, such as “export value,” “percentage change,” and “earned the most.” This would make the account clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including “Although, textile goods was accounted for highest rise in percentage,” and use past-tense forms to describe the years. However, errors in sentence construction and grammatical control are evident. For example, “Although” is incorrectly used to begin that sentence, and “textile goods was accounted for” has an awkward passive construction and faulty agreement. In “there was earnings,” the subject and verb do not agree; “which was increased by 3%” also uses an unsuitable passive form. The final sentence is incomplete, so its grammatical relationship cannot be understood. Practise concise comparisons with accurate subjects and verbs, such as “Textile earnings rose by…” and “Petroleum exports increased from…to….”

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