Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-29

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 8.5)

The bar chart compares the amounts of electricity produced and consumed by the world's ten leading countries in 2014, measured in billion kilowatt-hours.

Overall, China and the United States were by far the largest producers and consumers of electricity. China recorded the highest figures for both production and consumption, while South Korea had the lowest level of consumption. Germany was the only country in which consumption exceeded production.

China produced 5,398 billion kWh of electricity in 2014, while its consumption was only slightly lower, at 5,322 billion kWh. The United States ranked second, generating 4,099 billion kWh and consuming 3,866 billion kWh. Russia was a distant third, with production of 1,057 billion kWh compared with consumption of 1,038 billion kWh. Japan and India also recorded relatively high levels of production, at 936.2 and 871 billion kWh respectively.

Among the remaining countries, Canada produced 618.9 billion kWh and consumed 499.9 billion kWh, while the corresponding figures for France were 561.2 and 462.9 billion kWh. Brazil and South Korea had the lowest production figures, at 530.7 and 485.1 billion kWh respectively. In terms of consumption, South Korea had the lowest figure, at 449.5 billion kWh, followed by Brazil at 455.8 billion kWh. Germany was the only exception to the general pattern, consuming 582.5 billion kWh despite producing just 526.6 billion kWh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the dominance of China and the US, and highlighted the key exception regarding Germany's consumption exceeding its production. The data is accurately selected and presented to support your summary. You have made relevant comparisons throughout the report, which is a key requirement for this task. The overview is clear and provides a concise summary of the trends shown in the chart. All parts of the prompt are addressed thoroughly, and the information is well-supported by the provided figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis. Cohesive devices, such as 'while', 'in terms of', and 'the corresponding figures for', are used naturally and accurately to link sentences and clauses. The flow of information is smooth, and each paragraph has a clear focus, making the report very easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and precise range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases such as 'recorded the highest figures', 'exceeded production', and 'the corresponding figures' show a high level of control. You use technical terms like 'production' and 'consumption' accurately and consistently. The language is sophisticated and natural, with no errors in word choice or collocation. The vocabulary used is well-suited to the task and contributes to the clarity and professionalism of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while its consumption was only slightly lower') and comparative structures. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over complex sentence forms is impressive, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence.

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