Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-29

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 6.5)

The given bar chart provides information about the top ten countries (China, US, Russia, Japan, India, Canada, France, Brazil, Germany and Korea, Rep) for the production and consumption of electricity in 2014, measured in billions kWh.

Overall, a clear disparity is evident across the categories. Production in China recorded the highest figure, whereas consumption in Republic of Korea recorded the lowest figure.

Looking first at production, China occupied the top position at 5,398, followed by the United States, Russia, Japan, India, Canada, France, Brazil and Germany, whose figures stood at 4,099, 1,057, 936.2, 871, 618.9, 561.2, 530.7, and 526.6 billion kWh, respectively, whereas Korea, Rep recorded the lowest figure, at 485.1 billion kWh.

Turning to consumption, Republic of Korea recorded the lowest figure, at 449.5 billion kWh, with Brazil, France, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Russia and United States at 455.8, 462.9, 499.9, 582.5, 698.8, 856.7, 1,038, and 3,866 billion kWh respectively, while China ranked first, at 5,322.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, successfully reporting the main features of the chart regarding both electricity production and consumption in 2014. The response presents key data points accurately, identifying the highest figures for China (5,398 and 5,322 billion kWh) and highlighting extremes such as Korea, Rep. A clear overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the main disparity across categories. However, listing almost all countries' values in sequence in long, complex sentences makes the data presentation slightly mechanical, which prevents the response from reaching the highest bands where information is more selectively synthesised. Nonetheless, the task is fully addressed with accurate data citations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, an overall statement, and separate paragraphs for production and consumption. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'turning to', and 'respectively' are used to connect ideas effectively and maintain logical progression. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different sections of the visual data. While the listing approach in the body paragraphs is slightly repetitive in structure, the logical flow from one country to the next is maintained without disrupting comprehension. Referencing and substitution are handled adequately throughout the response.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suited to Task 1, using terms like 'disparity', 'production', 'consumption', and 'respectively' with appropriate precision. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'occupied the top position' and 'recorded the lowest figure'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying heavily on standard reporting verbs like 'recorded' and 'stood at'. There are no spelling errors, and the choice of units ('billion kWh') is accurate. The lexical range is sufficient for a Band 6.5 or 7, but lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over longer sentence structures containing multiple clauses (e.g., 'China occupied the top position at 5,398, followed by...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and punctuation is managed well despite the density of the numbers listed. Minor slips occur, such as omitting the article before 'Republic of Korea' in the final paragraph ('with Brazil, France, Canada...'), but these grammatical inaccuracies do not impede communication. The control of grammar is solid, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptors.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.