Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-06

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 6.0)

The provided bar chart depicts the values of production and consumption of electricity of the top ten countries in the year 2014.

Overall, what stands out from the data is that China was the largest producer as well as consumer of electricity in 2014, followed by the USA which came second. However, Germany and Korea, Rep shared the lowest amount in both features.

China produced 5,398 billion kWh of electricity, and 5,322 was consumed in 2014. The USA came second by representing 4,099 billion kWh for production, and 3,866 for consumption. The other countries, such as Russia and Japan showed a slight decrease in their amounts compared to the previous two. Russia produced 1,057 billion kWh of electricity, while Japan represented 936.2 billion kWh for production.

Similarly, India, Canada, and France showed declines in the values. India produced only 871 billion kWh, while 689.8 billion kWh was consumed in the whole year. Just 499.9 billion kWh electricity was consumed by Canadians, and 462.9 by France. Brazil, Germany, and Korea, Rep were the lowest in both categories. Only 530.7 billion kWh of electricity was produced by Brazil, and 526.6 by Germany, only 485.1 billion kWh by Koreans.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the bar chart, including the top producers and consumers. You have effectively highlighted the dominance of China and the USA and made relevant comparisons between the countries. However, the report could be improved by grouping the data more logically rather than listing countries individually. For instance, you could have contrasted the top two nations with the remaining eight, or categorized them by production levels. While all parts of the task are addressed, the analysis is somewhat descriptive and lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the data trends, which is necessary for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Similarly' and 'However' to link your points. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data. To improve, ensure that the transition between sentences is less mechanical; some sentences feel like a list of figures. Using a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect the data points would enhance the flow and make the comparison more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, such as 'depicts', 'stands out', and 'declines'. The terminology related to the task (e.g., 'production', 'consumption', 'billion kWh') is accurate. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat similar structures when introducing figures. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and nouns to describe the trends, such as 'surpassed', 'accounted for', or 'marginal difference', rather than relying on 'produced' or 'represented' repeatedly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. For example, 'The USA came second by representing 4,099 billion kWh' is a good attempt at a complex structure. However, there are minor issues with phrasing, such as 'Germany and Korea, Rep shared the lowest amount in both features', which is slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of articles and prepositions to achieve a more polished, error-free performance.

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

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