Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-03
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 compares side-by-side both the consumption and production of electricity in different countries.
To begin with , China is seen at the top with the highest production of electricity which is 5,398 billion kwh and consumption is 5,322 billion kwh which proves why China deserves first rank.
In case of United States an enormous difference between production and consumption is seen in favour of the nation. Their electricity production is less than China and is 4,099 billion kwh but on the other hand their consumption is also less which is 3,866 billion kwh. Russian is ranked third with the least difference in both quantities. From Japan to Brazil nearly familiar and closer figures are displayed on bar chart.
Germany ranked at 9th position is the most queer case.
It is evident from the numbers on bar chart that Germany use more electricity than producing.Their consumption is 582.5 billion kwh whereas production is almost 582.5 billion kwh.
Lastly, Korea is ranked at 10th the lowest position on bar chart.
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, such as identifying China as the leader and noting the ranking of other nations. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of countries from Japan to Brazil as 'nearly familiar' is vague and lacks specific data support. Furthermore, the claim about Germany being a 'queer case' is subjective and not appropriate for an academic report. While the key data points are present, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the trends, which is a requirement for Task 1. The comparison between production and consumption could be more analytical rather than just listing figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into short paragraphs, but the logical flow is disjointed. Transitions between sentences are often mechanical or missing, making the progression of ideas feel abrupt. For example, the jump from the United States to Russia and then to a group of countries is not well-signposted. The use of cohesive devices is limited, and the paragraphing is somewhat arbitrary, with some paragraphs containing only one or two sentences. To improve, you should use more varied linking words to connect your comparisons and ensure each paragraph has a clear thematic focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'enormous difference' and 'queer case' are not ideal for an academic context. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'nearly familiar' and 'in favour of the nation'. While the technical terms related to electricity (billion kwh) are used correctly, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is a reliance on simple descriptive language. Expanding your range to include more precise comparative language would significantly improve your 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. Examples include 'Russian is ranked third' (should be 'Russia'), 'Germany use more electricity' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'producing' (should be 'production'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent sentence structure will help you achieve a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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