Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-21

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 rendered bar chart and table illustrate the value of export earning and percentage change in the different categories of export between 2015 and 2016.

Overall, the categories shows an upward trend, where the maximun earning had been recorded in petrolium and engineering goods and least figures represented in the textiles.

In trem of petroleum, the export earning was stood above $ 60 billions in 2016, which was least in 2015. As the export earnings in gems and jewellery was about $40 billions in both years. The export earnings in engineering goods in 2015 was above $50 billions, which increased in 2016 and went to $60 billions, Regarding to agriculture products, the value of export in both years was closely followed by each other rougly at $ 40 billions. In comparison, the export earnings from textiles increase moderately and reached above 30 billions dollars in 2016.

In case of percentage change in values, all the categories namely, petroleum products, engineering goods, agriculture products and textiles had been rise over time by 3%, 8.5%, 0.81%, 15.24% repectively, except gems and jewellery which fell by 5.18%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main categories and report several relevant figures, including petroleum at about $60 billion, engineering goods rising to around $60 billion, and textiles reaching just over $30 billion. You also correctly note that gems and jewellery declined and give the percentage changes. However, the overview is not fully accurate: “all the categories shows an upward trend” overlooks the fall in gems and the near-stability of agriculture, while textiles—not petroleum or engineering—had the lowest earnings in 2015. The agricultural figure is also reported as about $40 billion, although the chart shows roughly $31 billion in both years. To strengthen the response, give a precise overview of the highest and lowest categories and the contrasting trends, then ensure each comparison matches the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph describing the chart values, and a final paragraph covering percentage changes. This makes the information reasonably easy to follow. You also use comparison and sequencing phrases such as “In comparison” and “except gems and jewellery.” However, some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “which was least in 2015,” whose reference is difficult to identify, and “Regarding to agriculture products,” which interrupts the flow. The final paragraph lists several changes in one sentence, making the figures harder to process. Use clearer topic sentences and divide information into more manageable comparisons, while ensuring pronouns and linking phrases point unambiguously to the relevant category or year.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “percentage change,” “increased,” and “fell,” and you attempt to vary your descriptions with phrases such as “reached above.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable: “maximun,” “petrolium,” “trem,” and “repectively” reduce accuracy, while “export earning” and “had been rise” are not natural expressions. Some wording is also imprecise, such as “least figures represented in the textiles.” Aim for accurate collocations and consistent forms, for example “export earnings,” “the lowest figures were recorded for textiles,” and “rose by.” Proofreading spelling and choosing standard chart-description phrases would make your meaning more precise and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and a contrast introduced by “except,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in agreement and verb forms: “the categories shows” should be “the categories show,” “was stood” should be “stood” or “was,” and “had been rise” should be “rose” or “had risen.” There are also problems with sentence construction and punctuation, as in “As the export earnings in gems and jewellery was about $40 billions in both years,” which is a dependent clause presented as a complete sentence. Work on forming complete sentences, matching subjects and verbs, and using past-tense forms consistently. More accurate control of these patterns would make the comparisons easier to understand.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.