Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-19

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 4.5)

The bar chart illustrates the value of one country's export in different categories, given in billion dollars between 2015 and 2016. Whereas, the data depicts the percentage change in values of goods in 2015 and 2016.

Overall, petroleum products had the largest share in export earnings in both the years. Whereas, textiles shared the least proportion among all categories. Petroleum products were considered the most valued good in contrast to the agricultural products with the least value.

Petroleum products were sold by 65 billion dollars in 2015, followed by a slightly rose to 67 billion dollars in 2016. Similarly, engineered product contributed earnings of 57 billions dollars in 2015 and

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the chart’s subject and gives an overview, correctly noting that petroleum products were the highest-earning category. However, the overview also says textiles had the least share, which is inaccurate: textiles were the lowest in 2015, but agricultural products were slightly higher in 2016, at about the same level as textiles. The claim that agricultural products had the least value also conflicts with the chart. The reported petroleum figures of 65 and 67 billion are higher than the approximate values shown (about 61 and 63). The response stops before covering the remaining categories or the percentage-change table, so the task is addressed only partially. It is also 40 words below the required minimum. Include the main changes across all categories and accurately report the table’s rises and fall.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and the beginning of a detail paragraph. The opening also distinguishes the bar chart from the percentage-change data, which helps orient the reader. However, the response does not progress through the information in a complete or balanced way: it begins with petroleum and engineered goods, then ends mid-sentence, leaving the other categories and the table unreported. The repeated use of “Whereas” at the start of sentences does not create a clear contrast, and the second overview sentence repeats the idea that petroleum is the most valued. To improve, organise the details into a logical comparison of the main categories and use linking phrases only where they clarify relationships.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant task vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “categories,” “percentage change,” and “contributed,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There is some variation in how the chart is described, but several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “one country's export” should refer to exports, “textiles shared the least proportion” is unnatural, and “sold by 65 billion dollars” does not accurately describe export value. “Most valued good” is also imprecise for a category of exports. These choices limit precision, especially when describing comparisons. Use standard chart language such as “export earnings stood at,” “accounted for the smallest share,” and “recorded an increase.” Check plural forms and choose terms that describe values rather than sales activity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentence forms, for example the opening contrast beginning “Whereas” and the sentence comparing petroleum with agricultural products. However, control is uneven, and some structures are incomplete or incorrectly formed. “Whereas, the data depicts…” is a fragment because “whereas” introduces a dependent clause, while “followed by a slightly rose” combines incompatible verb patterns. The phrase “57 billions dollars” also shows errors in number marking, and the final sentence ends with “and,” leaving the thought unfinished. These problems sometimes make the relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Build complete sentences, use a consistent pattern such as “rose from X to Y,” and proofread agreement, plurals, and punctuation.

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