Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-12

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 8.0)

The bar chart compares the production and consumption of electricity in the ten leading countries in 2014, with figures given in billion kWh.

Overall, China and the United States were by far the largest producers and consumers of electricity. In almost all countries, electricity production was higher than consumption. Germany was the only country where consumption exceeded production.

China ranked first, producing 5,398 billion kWh and consuming 5,322 billion kWh. The United States came second, with production of 4,099 billion kWh and consumption of 3,866 billion kWh. Russia was third, producing 1,057 billion kWh and consuming 1,038 billion kWh. Japan and India followed, with production figures of 936.2 and 871 billion kWh respectively.

The remaining countries produced considerably less electricity. Canada generated 618.9 billion kWh, followed by France at 561.2 billion and Brazil at 530.7 billion. Germany and South Korea produced 526.6 and 485.1 billion kWh respectively. Consumption was lower than production in all of these countries except Germany, where consumption reached 582.5 billion kWh compared with production of 526.6 billion kWh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have clearly identified the main features, such as the dominance of China and the United States, and made relevant comparisons, such as noting that Germany was the only country where consumption exceeded production. The data is accurately reported, and the overview provides a concise summary of the trends. The information is well-selected and supports the main points without unnecessary detail. To reach a higher band, you could further synthesize the data by grouping countries with similar characteristics more explicitly, rather than listing them sequentially, which would enhance the analytical quality of the report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, the top three countries, and the remaining countries. Cohesive devices such as 'followed by', 'respectively', and 'in contrast' are used effectively to link information. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow between sentences is smooth. The use of referencing is clear, and the structure helps the reader follow the comparison easily. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of cohesive devices, making the text easy to read and well-structured throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately and with some precision. Terms such as 'leading countries', 'exceeded', 'generated', and 'respectively' are used correctly in context. The vocabulary is appropriate for an academic report. While the range is adequate, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated synonyms or collocations related to data reporting (e.g., 'surpassed', 'marginal difference', 'predominant'). However, the current usage is precise and there are no errors that impede communication or cause confusion for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'Germany was the only country where consumption exceeded production' and 'China ranked first, producing 5,398 billion kWh and consuming 5,322 billion kWh.' Punctuation is accurate, and the sentence structure is varied. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips do not affect the clarity of the report. The control over complex structures, such as participial phrases, is particularly strong and contributes to the overall fluency of the writing.

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