Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-11
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The bar chart below shows the top ten countries for the production and consumption of electricity in 2014.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The given horizontal bar chart depicts the information about top ten countries for the production and consumption of electricity in year 2014 . The data has been calibrated in billions .
overall it is crystal clear that the highest value recorded by china which was similar in production and consumption .While lowest value recorded by Korea in a given time period.
At a fleeting glance the highest value was carried by china as 5398 billion kWh in production and consuming 5322 billion kWh . Which followed by USA 4099 and 3866 in production or consuming . While Russia and japan show the similar trend in production of electricity . Russia generated approximately 1057 . and japan 936.2 billion kWh . while India used energy as 698.8 and produce 871 billion kWh
Moving ahead Canada an France generate electricity 618.9 and 561 in consuming was 499.9 or 462 .8 billion kWh respectively . brazil recorded as 530.7 in production of electricity whereas 455.6 in consuming . Germany ranged from 526 to 582.5 in production or consuming . Korea did not surpass from 500 billion kWh .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the top producers and consumers. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing figures without sufficient synthesis or meaningful comparison. While the overview is present, it is slightly simplistic. The data reporting is generally accurate, but there are instances where the distinction between production and consumption is muddled, such as in the description of Germany and France. To reach a higher band, you should focus on grouping countries by trends rather than listing them individually, and ensure that the comparisons between production and consumption are more clearly articulated.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes awkward, such as 'At a fleeting glance' and 'Moving ahead', which do not fit the formal tone required for an Academic Task 1 report. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing multiple countries in one sentence. While there is a logical progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the text feel like a list of facts rather than a cohesive summary. Improving the variety of transition signals would significantly enhance the readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely heavily on basic verbs like 'recorded', 'show', and 'used'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'calibrated in billions' (which is technically inaccurate for a chart) and 'highest value was carried by'. The repetition of 'production' and 'consuming' throughout the text limits the lexical range. To improve, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and nouns related to data analysis, such as 'surpassed', 'accounted for', or 'figures for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent errors in punctuation, articles, and sentence construction. For example, 'in year 2014' should be 'in the year 2014', and 'Canada an France' contains a typo. Many sentences are fragmented or lack proper subject-verb agreement, such as 'Which followed by USA'. The use of decimals and units is inconsistent, and the punctuation around these figures is often incorrect. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these grammatical slips prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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