Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-30

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 bar chart compares the top ten countries for the production amd consumption of electricity in 2014, measured in billion.

Overall, China made the history in production and consumption of electricity at first number, while Germany and Korea generated the little amount of energy.

China accouted for the highest number of production and consumption, at 5398 kwh and 5322 kwh, respectively, followed by 4099 kwh and 3866 kwh for USA. Russia had produced 1057 kwh energy and consumed 1038 kwh. Japan accounted for 936.2 kwh and 856.7 kwh, repsectively.

India made up 871 kwh energy and utilized 698.8 kwh, compared with Canada whose ratio was 618.9 kwh and 499.9 kwh, respectively. France and Brazil had similar figure at between 530 to 560 kwh in production and 455 to 462 kwh in consumption. Germany produced 526.6 kwh, compared with Korea and Rep., at 485.1 kwh, while in terms of consumption, Germany had 582.5 kwh and Korea and Rep. had 449.5 kwh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview of the data and reporting the main features with comparisons. The opening overview correctly identifies China as the leading country in both categories and notes Germany and South Korea at the lower end of the top ten. Key data points are selected and reported, such as China's figures of 5398 and 5322 billion kWh, alongside the US and other countries. However, there are minor transcription errors in the units (the student writes 'kwh' instead of 'billion kWh') and some minor generalisations in the description of France and Brazil. Overall, the content adequately covers the prompt requirements, meriting a Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is organized into four logical paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs grouping the countries by rank. Paragraphing is used appropriately to structure the information. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as 'respectively', 'compared with', and 'while in terms of'. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and referencing could be smoother, particularly in the final paragraph regarding Germany and Korea. Progression is generally clear throughout the report, earning a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'production', 'consumption', 'generated', and 'utilized'. There are several spelling and typographical errors, such as 'amd' instead of 'and', 'accouted' instead of 'accounted', and 'repsectively' instead of 'respectively'. While less common vocabulary is attempted, these inaccuracies in spelling and occasional awkward word choices prevent the score from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary used is sufficient to communicate the main points, fitting the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating comparative forms ('higher than', 'compared with') and subordinate clauses. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'made the history', 'at first number', 'generated the little amount', and 'had similar figure'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the overall communication of the data. This balance of mixed structures and frequent minor errors reflects a Band 6.0 performance.

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