Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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 6.5)

The bar chart illustrates the export earnings of one country in several categories during 2015 and 2016. Additionally, The table shows the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.

Overall, export earnings increased in all categories except in gems and jewellery in this one year. Textiles witnessed the highest positive percentage change among all categories, while agricultural products witnessed the least positive change from 2015 to 2016.

In 2015, textiles category recorded export earnings of about 35 billion $, whereas this increased to over 40 billion $ in 2016, making it 15.24 % of positive change. Petroleum products had the highest amount of export earnings among all categories at 70 billion $ in 2015 and these earnings increased by 3 % in 2016 to take it just over 70 billion $. While petroleum products still had the highest amount of export earnings in 2016, engineered goods witnessed 8.5 % increase in its export earnings from almost 65 billion $ to 70 billion $ in 2016.

Gems and jewellery recorded 5.18 % decrease in its export earnings, making it the only category with the negative change in this period. Though there was the highest positive change recorded in textiles category, it had the least amount of export earnings in 2015 and together with agricultural products still had the least amount among all categories in 2016. Agricultural products witnessed only a slight increase of 0.81 % in its export earnings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a clear introduction and an overview that identifies the general rise across most categories, the fall in gems and jewellery, and the strongest and weakest percentage changes. However, several key figures are substantially misreported: textiles are about $26 billion in 2015 and $31 billion in 2016, not about $35 billion and over $40 billion; petroleum products are about $61 billion and $63 billion, not $70 billion and above $70 billion; and engineered goods are about $57 billion and $62 billion, not almost $65 billion and $70 billion. The claim that agricultural products had the least earnings alongside textiles in 2016 is also inaccurate, as they were about $31 billion while gems and jewellery were about $41 billion. More accurate selection and reporting of chart values would make the response more complete and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, a concise overview, and two detail paragraphs that group the categories. The overview helps the reader understand the main trends before the figures are discussed. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “whereas,” and “Though” support progression, and the comparison between textiles’ high growth and low earnings is relevant. Some connections are less clear or slightly mechanical, however. The long sentence beginning “While petroleum products still had the highest…” combines a ranking with engineered goods’ change, and “making it 15.24% of positive change” has an unclear reference. Grouping the categories more systematically—for example, rising categories together and the decline separately—would make comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “percentage change,” “recorded,” “increased,” and “decrease.” Terms such as “highest positive percentage change” and “least positive change” help describe the table, while “witnessed” adds some variation. There are occasional awkward or imprecise choices that reduce naturalness: “15.24% of positive change” does not clearly express a rate, and “making it the only category with the negative change” is less idiomatic than describing a decline. Repetition of “category,” “earnings,” and “witnessed” also limits flexibility. More precise collocations for describing values and percentage movements would strengthen the report while preserving its clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “whereas,” “while,” and “though.” Most sentences communicate their intended meaning, and the response shows some control of longer structures. A few grammatical and punctuation issues remain. In “Additionally, The table,” the capital letter after the comma is incorrect. “In 2015, textiles category” needs a determiner, and “engineered goods witnessed 8.5% increase in its export earnings” needs an article before “increase”; the singular “its” also sits awkwardly with the plural category name. Some long sentences, particularly the one beginning “While petroleum products still had…,” would be clearer if divided or structured more carefully. Greater consistency with articles and agreement would improve accuracy.

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