Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The given bar chart and table illustrates the exports in different categories from a particular country during 2015 and 2016.

Overall, Petroleum products were the most exported goods while Textiles were least exported. However, Textile products saw a 15.24% increase in the exports, the highest percentage change of all the products.

Petroleum products, Engineered goods, Agricultural products and Textiles experienced an increase in the exports from 2015 to 2016. On the other hand, exports of Gems and jewellery declined over the same period. Petroleum products worth $60 billion were exported in 2015, which later increased by 3% in 2016. Simillarly, Engineered goods worth $55 billion were exported in 2015, and saw an improvement of 8.5% in 2016. Gems and jewellary, on the other hand, saw a 5.18% decline over the same period. Exports of Agricultural goods remained almost stable over the period, a mere 0.81% increase, while staying on in the range of $40 billion worth of goods. Textiles were the least exported products, almost $35 billion worth in 2015, however, exports increased 15.24% to $40 billion in 2016

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main pattern that most categories rose and gems and jewellery fell, and your overview correctly notes textiles had the largest percentage change. However, some figures and comparisons are misread, which limits the precision of the report. Textiles were about $26 billion in 2015 and $31 billion in 2016, not about $35 billion and $40 billion; agricultural exports were around $31 billion, not $40 billion. Also, petroleum products were the highest category, but textiles were not the lowest in 2016, when agricultural products and textiles were approximately equal. You report the percentage changes accurately, but develop the category values unevenly. A more precise overview and closer matching of figures to the chart would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing category-level details. The contrast between rising exports and the decline in gems and jewellery is easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “On the other hand” and “Similarly” help connect comparisons. However, the final paragraph reads largely as a sequence of separate category statements, and some transitions do not make the relationships between figures especially clear. For example, the agricultural and textile comparisons could be grouped to highlight their similar 2016 values, while the largest and declining categories could be compared directly. Use paragraphing and linking more purposefully, and ensure each comparison follows logically from the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “exports,” “declined,” “remained almost stable,” and “percentage change.” These choices communicate the main trends, and there is some variation in how increases are described, such as “increased” and “saw an improvement.” At times, however, wording is imprecise or repetitive: “exports in different categories” and repeated uses of “worth” could be expressed more naturally, while “improvement” is less neutral than “increase” for describing export values. There are also spelling errors in “Simillarly” and “jewellary,” and “Agricultural goods” is inconsistent with the chart’s category label. More accurate spelling and precise, neutral collocations would make the report more polished.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses (“which later increased by 3%”) and contrast structures (“while staying…”). Most sentences remain understandable, and the overall meaning is clear. Some grammatical and punctuation issues persist. The opening says “The given bar chart and table illustrates,” where the plural subject requires “illustrate.” In “Textiles were the least exported products, almost $35 billion worth in 2015, however,” the sentence joins contrasting ideas awkwardly; use a full stop or a conjunction such as “but.” The final sentence also lacks a full stop. Aim for more consistent agreement and clearer sentence boundaries, while retaining the range of structures you already attempt.

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