Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-12

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 6.5)

The given bar chart demonstrates the top ten countries for the production of electricity as well as its consumption in the year 2014.

Overall, China and the United States lead in both production and consumption of electricity. It can be observed from the chart that every country has produced more electricity than they have consumed.

To begin with, China produced and consumed the most amount of electricity with 5398 and 5322 billion kWh, respectively. The United States ranked second with 4099 billion kWh in production and 3866 billion kWh in consumption. There is a considerable difference between the top two countries and the rest of them. After the United States, the numbers drop drastically. Unlike other countries, Russia had very little difference between the amount of electricity they produced and consumed with 1057 and 1038 billion kWh, respectively. Thereafter, Japan ranked fourth with India following close behind. Canada was placed at the sixth position and France at the seventh. The last three countries on the graph are Brazil, Germany and Korea with Korea occupying the last position.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by identifying and reporting the main features of the chart, including the leading nations and the general trend that production exceeds consumption. Clear comparisons are made, such as noting that 'China and the United States lead in both production and consumption' and highlighting that 'every country has produced more electricity than they have consumed.' Specific data points are appropriately incorporated, such as '5398 and 5322 billion kWh'. However, the response tends to list smaller countries towards the end without providing their corresponding figures (e.g., 'Thereafter, Japan ranked fourth with India following close behind'), which prevents a fuller development of the data comparison. Overall, the task is well addressed, earning a solid Band 7.0 for effectively selecting and reporting key features with relevant comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response exhibits a clear overall progression and logical organization. It begins with an appropriate introductory overview, follows with main body paragraphs outlining top producers and subsequent ranks, and uses effective cohesive devices to guide the reader through the data, such as 'To begin with', 'respectively', and 'Unlike other countries'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, the overarching trends, and the detailed breakdown. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraph three becomes slightly list-like ('Japan ranked fourth... Canada was placed at the sixth position'). Despite this slight mechanical listing towards the end, the structure remains coherent and logical throughout, justifying a Band 7.0 descriptor match.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Appropriate collocation and vocabulary items are employed, such as 'production and consumption', 'considerable difference', and 'drop drastically'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with reasonable success, such as 'occupying the last position'. There are occasional awkward expressions or minor word choices, but overall, the lexical range is adequate to convey precise information. Spelling and word choice are accurate throughout, meaning communication is never impeded. These features align well with the Band 7.0 criteria for lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a good variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences such as 'It can be observed from the chart that every country has produced more electricity than they have consumed.' There is a mix of simple and complex forms with frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating good grammatical control. Punctuation is accurate, and verbs and prepositions are handled correctly across numerical comparisons (e.g., 'produced... with 5398 and 5322 billion kWh'). While the grammatical structures are not exceptionally wide-ranging or adventurous, the high proportion of error-free sentences and the clear execution of complex clauses firmly position this response at a Band 7.0 level.

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