Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The bar chart and table depict the numers of one country’s exports in petroleum products, engineer goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products and textiles, and earnings measured in billion dollars during 2015 and 2016, and the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.

Overall, the country earned the highest amount of money from petroleum products and engineer goods, while the selling of agricultural products and textiles was less with compared to other fields. Nevertheless, petroleum products and textiles shows upward trend in their values.

Looking first at the country's petroleum products revenue. The figure shows the country earned more than 60 billion dollars from petroleum items. In contrast, the nation's textiles industry experienced the lowest earnings in 2015 the number illustrates less than 40 billion dollars.

Moving to changes in values of textile industry the figure shows 15.24% growth, whereas the country's petroleum sector shows 8.5% growth in both the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and mention some relevant features, including petroleum as a leading export and textiles as the lowest in 2015. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: agricultural products and textiles were not both among the lowest in 2016, and petroleum and engineered goods were the two highest categories. Several figures and comparisons are also misreported: textiles rose by 15.24%, but petroleum increased by 3%, not 8.5%; 8.5% applies to engineered goods. The response omits most category-by-category information and does not clearly report the decline in gems and jewellery or the near-stability of agricultural exports. It is also 7 words below the 150-word minimum. Add an accurate overview and select key figures and changes for comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. Phrases such as “Overall,” “Looking first,” and “Moving to” help signal shifts in focus. However, the progression is limited because the details are not organised into a clear comparison of the five categories, and the final paragraph moves from textiles to petroleum without explaining the relationship. The overview also repeats information rather than establishing a precise summary of the main trends. Some linking is awkward, as in “In contrast” where the contrast is not clearly developed. Group the categories by trend or rank, then use comparisons and references consistently so the reader can follow the data more easily.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “exports,” “revenue,” “upward trend,” and “percentage change,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing the chart. “Numbers of exports” suggests quantities rather than monetary values, while “selling of agricultural products” is not a natural way to describe export earnings. “Engineer goods” is also an inaccurate category label, and “growth” is used for petroleum despite the incorrect percentage. There are spelling and word-form slips, including “numers,” which reduce precision. Aim for consistent terms such as “export earnings,” “value,” and “engineered goods,” and use verbs such as “rose,” “fell,” or “remained stable” to describe the data accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, and most of the message can be understood. There are, however, several errors in agreement and sentence construction. In “petroleum products and textiles shows upward trend,” the plural subject requires “show,” and the noun phrase needs an article (“an upward trend”). “The lowest earnings in 2015 the number illustrates…” is an incomplete, poorly joined construction; separate it into two sentences or use a clear relative clause. The phrase “less with compared to” also has an incorrect comparative pattern. Some sentences are grammatically controlled, such as the opening description, but greater accuracy in agreement, articles, and clause boundaries would make the report clearer.

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