Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-15

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 6.0)

The bar chart illustrates the earnings of a country's export in five different categories during 2015 and 2016. The table below explains the change in percentages of these product categories over this period.

Overall, petroleum products have the highest value in 2016 while the least earnings were from textiles in 2015. The value of textiles have increased more by 2016 while agricultural products show very less percentage change in value. However, gems and jewellery was the only category whose value was decreased.

In 2015, petrolem products have the largest proportion among all, while textiles have the least value. Similarly, in 2016, again petroleum products were leading of all products, while agricultural products and textiles were less in value.

By the end of 2016, the change in percentage of textiles rose by 15.24% which was the highest change as compared with all the categories, followed by engineered goods which increased to 8.5%, then petroleum goods by 3% and finally agricultural products show least percentage increase of 0.81% only. Gems and jewellery was the only category which was decreased to 5.18% by 2016.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern accurately: petroleum products are the highest-valued category in both years, textiles show the largest percentage rise, and gems and jewellery is the only category to decline. You also report the table’s percentage changes correctly. However, some key comparisons are underdeveloped or unclear. For example, you say textiles were the least-valued category in 2015, but do not give the approximate figures that show how values changed between years; in 2016, agricultural products and textiles are described together as “less in value,” although textiles were about $31 billion and agricultural products about the same, while gems and jewellery was higher at about $41 billion. Include a few bar-chart figures and make the overview comparisons more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph comparing the years, and a final paragraph reporting percentage changes. This makes the information easy to follow. The progression is not always efficient, however: the third paragraph repeats that petroleum products led and textiles were lowest, points already made in the overview, while the actual bar-chart comparisons receive little detail. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “while” and the sequence “followed by … then … and finally.” Organise the body around the main changes in export values, then use the table to support those comparisons. Clearer references and less repetition would make the cohesion more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “earnings,” “categories,” “percentage change,” “highest,” and “increased,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal reporting language, such as “illustrates” and “followed by.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise: “the earnings of a country's export” is awkward, “leading of all products” is not a natural way to describe the highest category, and “the value … was decreased” does not clearly express a fall. “Petrolem” is also misspelled, and “petroleum goods” is inconsistent with the category label “petroleum products.” Use standard chart-reporting phrases such as “export earnings,” “ranked highest,” and “fell by” to improve precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple sentences and more complex comparisons, and the main message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors persist, especially with agreement and verb forms. For example, “The value of textiles have increased” should use a singular verb, while “agricultural products show very less percentage change” shifts tense and has an awkward comparative construction. In “gems and jewellery was the only category whose value was decreased,” the passive form is not appropriate for describing the chart’s trend; a simple active verb would be clearer. There are also tense inconsistencies between past reporting and present forms such as “have” and “show.” Keep the reporting consistently in the past and check subject–verb agreement and sentence patterns when comparing categories.

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