Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-26

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 bar chart illustrates the top ten countries that produce and consume the electricity in the year 2014.

Overall, China has the highest rate of consumption(5,322)kWh and production(5,398)kWh of electricity among the ten countries given. While, Korea has the least number of consumption(449.5)kWh and production(485.1)kWh of current.

The United States also shows a significant level of usage(3,866)kWh and production(4,099)kWh of electricity, this made USA to sit in the second position. While, the rest of the countries maintained almost the same amount of production and consumption.

The difference between the second country(USA) and the third country (Russia) is vast . The both ratios(consumption and production) of Russia are dwarf when compared to USA with a rate of 1,038kWh and 1,057kWh respectively.

The data represents that the countries USA and China are purely overrated in the production of the electricity and also consuming it. The countries Japan, India, Canada, France, Brazil and Germany have a good and reasonable rate of electricity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the bar chart, identifying the highest and lowest producers/consumers. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify China and the USA as leaders, the description of the remaining countries is vague, stating they 'maintained almost the same amount' without providing specific comparative data. Furthermore, the term 'overrated' is inappropriate for a data analysis task, as it implies a subjective judgment rather than an objective report of the figures. To improve, ensure you provide more specific data points for the middle-ranking countries and avoid subjective commentary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the repetitive use of 'While' at the start of sentences. The transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the comparative data more fluidly rather than relying on simple sentence structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main points, such as 'illustrates', 'consumption', and 'production'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice. For example, 'dwarf' is used incorrectly as an adjective here, and 'overrated' is not suitable for describing statistical data. Additionally, 'current' is used to refer to electricity in a way that is not standard in this context. Focusing on more precise collocations and avoiding informal or subjective descriptors will help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the electricity' (unnecessary article), 'the both ratios' (incorrect determiner usage), and 'this made USA to sit' (incorrect verb pattern). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of parentheses and commas. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing the accuracy of basic sentence construction is recommended.

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