Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-03

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 chart illustrates the value of one country's exports in various categories like petroleum products, engineering goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products and textiles during 2015 to 2016.

Overall, it is clear that petroleum products was the height amoung all while, textiles remained the lowest. Most categories showed slightly increase in 2016 as compared to 2015, except gems and jewellery.

In 2015, Petroleum products accounted for the 60 billions of export earning which was then increased slighlty in 2016. In contrast, export earnings of engineering goods slightly drop and reached to 50. something billions in 2015 and then again rose to 60 billions in 2016.

On the other hand, export earning of remaining product go down dramatically like gems and jewellery reached to 50 billion in 2015 and then again slightly decreased in 2016 in contast export earning of agricultural products reached to 40 billion in 2015 and remained same in 2016.Textile remained the least in 2015 and then slightly increased to 40 billion in 2015.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and give a general overview, correctly noting that petroleum products were the highest category and that gems and jewellery declined. However, several key figures and trends are misreported: engineering goods rose from about $57 billion to $62 billion, not from “50 something” to $60 billion after first dropping; gems and jewellery fell from about $43 billion to $41 billion, not from $50 billion; and textiles increased from about $26 billion to $31 billion, not $40 billion. The overview also incorrectly calls textiles the lowest in 2016, when agricultural products and textiles were both around $31 billion. More accurate selection and comparison of the main data is needed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In contrast” signal relationships between points. However, progression is weakened by unclear or contradictory sequencing, particularly the engineering-goods sentence, which says earnings “drop” before describing a rise. The final paragraph groups several categories together without a clear comparison, and “On the other hand” does not accurately introduce all the information that follows. Improve cohesion by grouping categories with similar trends and presenting each category’s 2015 and 2016 figures in a consistent order.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “categories,” “increased” and “decreased,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “the height among all,” “showed slightly increase,” and “go down dramatically.” “Dramatically” also overstates the small decline in gems and jewellery. Spelling slips such as “slighlty” and “contast” reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, natural language for describing data, and avoid repeating “slightly” when a more exact comparison is available. The suggested alternatives below can help make descriptions clearer and more appropriate for an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the opening sentence communicates the chart’s topic. However, errors are frequent enough to make some comparisons difficult to follow. Examples include subject–verb agreement in “petroleum products was,” the faulty construction “showed slightly increase,” and tense or verb-form problems in “engineering goods slightly drop.” Articles and plurals are also inconsistent, as in “the 60 billions” and “export earning of remaining product.” Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention: the final two statements run together in “2016.Textile,” while the engineering sentence is difficult to interpret. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and check agreement, articles, plurals and sentence punctuation.

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.