Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-09
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 chart shows the data of export earnings in billionsof a country from multiple sectors including petroleum products, engineered goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products, textiles in the years 2015 and 2016. The table below compares the percentage of contribution from different sectors in recent year with respect to the previous one.
Most products except gems and jewellery contributed more than their previous year's data. Among them, textiles grew the most and agricultural products grew the least. However, petroleum products remained as the main export in both years.
Petroleum products were the main export contributing around 71 billions and 74 billions in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Earnings from exporting engineered goods rose to approximately 73 billions from below 70 billions in the next year. However, agricultural products brought small increase in earnings. Gems and jewellery were contributing less the less year with a decline of 5.18%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the main overall pattern—that most categories rose, gems and jewellery fell, and textiles had the largest percentage increase—and note that petroleum was the leading export. However, several reported figures conflict substantially with the chart: petroleum is about $61 billion and $63 billion, not $71 billion and $74 billion, while engineered goods are about $57 billion and $62 billion, not around $70 billion and $73 billion. The response also gives little detail on the category values and does not clearly compare the table’s percentage changes with the chart. The agricultural increase is described only vaguely, and the final sentence about gems is unclear. The response is three words below the required minimum. Include an accurate overview and select a few correct figures to support it.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with category details. The overview also groups the increases and the decline, which helps the reader follow the main pattern. However, the final paragraph does not progress clearly through the data: it moves from petroleum to engineered goods, then agriculture, and ends with an unclear statement about gems. Linking words such as “However” are used, but the relationship they signal is not always clear, and the table is introduced without its figures being systematically reported. Organise the details into a clearer sequence, such as leading categories first and then the remaining categories, and use references that make each comparison easy to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant task vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “contributed,” “decline,” and “percentage,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, some word choices and collocations are awkward or imprecise: “the data of export earnings,” “percentage of contribution,” and “contributing less the less year” do not express the information naturally. “Grew” is understandable but less precise for describing export values than “increased” or “rose.” There is also a spacing error in “billionsof.” Aim for accurate, natural phrases such as “export earnings in five sectors” and “the percentage change in export values.” This would make the limited range more effective and reduce the effort needed to interpret the final paragraph.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a complex comparison beginning “Most products except gems and jewellery…” and a contrast introduced by “However.” Most sentences communicate a basic idea, but errors and awkward constructions recur. For example, “in recent year with respect to the previous one” has an unclear time reference, and “Gems and jewellery were contributing less the less year” contains faulty verb and comparative structures. The phrase “agricultural products brought small increase” also lacks an article. Use straightforward, controlled past-tense forms: “Textile earnings increased,” “Agricultural products rose slightly,” and “Gems and jewellery declined.” Check articles, verb forms, and sentence construction before submitting.
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