Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The given chart compares the information of consumption and production of electricity of top ten countries in 2014.

Overall, China was the largest producer and consumer of electricity, followed by the United States. By contrast, Korea Republic had the lowest figures among the countries shown. It is also noticeable that electricity production and consumption in most countries were relatively similar, particularly in Canada and France.

In China, had the highest electricity production 5,398 (billions KWh) and it consumed slightly less electricity had 5,322.United States was the ranked second country which had the production high and the consumption low from 4,099 to 3,866. After that Russia had the lower figures for electricity production and consumption 1,057 to 1,038. Furthermore, Japan accounted for the lowest production and electricity consumed towards Germany from 936,2 to 582.5 However, Korea, Rep had the least producer of electricity and consumption from 485,1 to 449,5 billions KWh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the leaders (China and the US) and the lowest producer (Korea). However, the reporting of data is inconsistent and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, the statement that Japan accounted for the lowest production towards Germany is confusing and factually unclear based on the provided data. While the main trends are highlighted, the analysis lacks precision in comparing the figures across all ten countries, and the grouping of data is somewhat disjointed. To improve, ensure that all data points mentioned are accurate and that comparisons are clearly linked to the specific countries being discussed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. While there is a logical flow, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'After that Russia had the lower figures' and 'towards Germany from 936,2 to 582.5'. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the paragraphing could be more balanced to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels slightly repetitive in structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect word choices, such as 'had the highest electricity production 5,398' (missing 'of') and 'Korea, Rep had the least producer'. The use of decimal commas (e.g., 936,2) is inconsistent with standard English conventions for academic writing. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, it does not demonstrate the flexibility or precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'In China, had the highest electricity production' (missing subject), 'United States was the ranked second country', and 'consumption from 485,1 to 449,5'. Punctuation is also problematic, particularly with the placement of decimals and the lack of proper sentence boundaries in some areas. These errors are noticeable and detract from the overall quality of the writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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