Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-20

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 presents the data about value of a single nation's exports in five categories, which were petroleum products, engineered goods, gems and jewelry, agriculture products and textiles between 2015 and 2016. The table presents a comparison of the percentage change in each categories of exports throughout 2015 and 2016, a period of one year.

Overall, it can be seen that, the revenue generated from petroleum products, engineered goods and textile showed an increasing trend, while gems and jewelry experienced a marginal downwards trend and agricultural product remained almost stable as it was before in 2015. Furthermore, in the percentage change in value section, textile, petroleum products and engineered goods soared significantly whereas gems and jewelry saw a decrease.

As is seen from the graph, export earnings from petroleum products was around 65 billion in 2015 and peaked at just under 70 billion in 2016. Meanwhile, engineering goods and textile earned more in 2016 than it was in 2015. Interestingly, there is a minor increase in the monetary gain of agriculture product as it earned around 43 billion and by the end of 2016 it rose a little bit. As for Gems and Jewelry, the market seem to have fallen in 2016 as this sector earned almost 53 billion in 2015 and climbed down to 51 billion in the following year.

According to the table, textiles recorded by far the highest percentage change, registering a rise of 15.24%. Although petroleum products, engineered goods, and agricultural products also experienced growth—at 3%, 8.5%, and 0.81% respectively—none of these figures matched the surge seen in the textile sector. On the other hand, the percentage of gems and jewelry went down to 5.18%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart and table and provide an overview of the main directions: most categories rise, gems and jewellery falls, and agriculture is nearly stable. You also correctly identify textiles as having the largest percentage increase and report the table’s percentage figures accurately. However, several chart values are substantially misread: petroleum is about $61 billion in 2015 and $63 billion in 2016, not around $65 billion and just under $70 billion; agriculture is about $31 billion, not $43 billion; and gems and jewellery is about $43 billion then $41 billion, not $53 billion and $51 billion. These errors weaken the comparisons, and the overview’s claim that several categories “soared” overstates the changes. Check each figure against the chart and distinguish modest rises from the largest increase.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph describing the chart, and a final paragraph covering the table. This makes the information easy to locate, and transitions such as “Overall,” “Meanwhile,” and “On the other hand” help signal relationships. However, some linking is mechanical or does not accurately express the data: “Interestingly” introduces a supposed agricultural increase, while the chart shows its value staying around $31 billion. The chart paragraph also moves between categories without consistently grouping the most useful comparisons. Organise the figures around clear contrasts—for example, the highest-earning categories, the stable category, and the declining category—and use references such as “this figure” only when their meaning is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “percentage change,” “recorded,” and “experienced a…trend.” These choices generally communicate the topic clearly, and terms such as “marginal” show an attempt at more precise description. Some word choices and collocations are less suitable for formal data reporting: “soared significantly” exaggerates the changes, “climbed down” is unnatural, and “monetary gain” is not the clearest term for export value. There are also inconsistent spellings of “jewellery/jewelry,” though either form is acceptable if used consistently. Aim for precise, neutral language that reflects the scale and direction of the figures, such as “rose modestly,” “declined,” and “export value.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning “while” and “whereas,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors, however, affect accuracy. For example, “the value of a single nation's exports” needs an article, and “in each categories” should be “in each category.” Agreement is inconsistent in “petroleum products was” and “the market seem,” while “more in 2016 than it was in 2015” does not maintain a clear comparison structure. Punctuation is also uneven, including unnecessary commas after “Overall” and “seen.” Review subject–verb agreement, singular and plural forms, and comparative sentence patterns; these corrections would make your varied structures more controlled.

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