Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-27
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The pie charts below show exports from various EU countries to India and China in 2000 and 2011.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
EU Exports of Goods to India and China in 2000 and 2011
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The given pie charts illustrate the proportion of exports from 11 EU countries to India and China in 2000 and 2011.
Overall, EU exports of goods to India has fluctuated during the two years, with United Kingdom having the higher proportion in 2000 and Germany in 2011. Moreover, exports to China showed less variation, with Germany accounting for the largest proportion in both years.
EU exports to India had the most sources from UK in 2000 and Germany in 2011, while Austria accounted for the lowest proportion. However, the proportion of Belgium declined by 5% during the following two years with the percentage of United Kingdom recorded a decline from 29% to 13% by 2011. Germany had one of the highest percentages among all the countries; however, it also accounted for a significant proportion of exports to China. Moreover, some countries recorded a slight change including Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and France.
To sum up, European countries contributed more in exporting goods to China compared to the other countries, whereas India received a great amount of goods from UK, Germany and Belgium.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview and identifies key trends, such as the shift in the leading exporter to India and the stability of Germany's position regarding China. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, the claim that 'EU exports of goods to India has fluctuated' is vague, and the description of the data is occasionally inaccurate or confusing, such as the mention of 'the following two years' when the data spans a decade (2000–2011). Furthermore, the summary at the end is overly simplistic and does not fully synthesize the comparative data presented in the charts. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurately interpreted and that comparisons are more precise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, body, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'To sum up' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of information within the body paragraph is somewhat disjointed. The transition between discussing India and China is abrupt, and some referencing is unclear, such as the phrase 'the following two years', which misrepresents the time frame of the data. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the internal flow could be improved by grouping data more logically by country or trend rather than jumping between different regions and years.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'proportion', 'accounted for', and 'fluctuated' used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'had the most sources from UK'. The student relies on basic descriptors and could benefit from more precise terminology to describe trends, such as 'predominant', 'marginal', or 'substantial'. While the meaning is always clear and there are no significant spelling errors, the lack of variety and occasional awkward collocation prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('EU exports... has fluctuated') and missing articles ('with United Kingdom'). Additionally, the sentence 'with the percentage of United Kingdom recorded a decline' is grammatically awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on consistent subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles with country names, as well as refining the structure of participial phrases.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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