Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-15

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 illustrates the top ten countries for the production and consumption of electricity in 2014. China is ranked at the top, whereas Korea is ranked at the bottom for the production and consumption of electricity. China produces about 5,398kWh of electricity and consumes about 5,322kWh of electricity, followed by the USA, which contributes about 4,099 and 3,866 in the production and consumption of electricity. Then there is a considerable decline in the values, as Russia develops and produces about 1,057 and 1,038kWh of electricity, and for India these numbers are 871 and 698.8 kWh, respectively. In contrast, Canada accounts for about 618.9 and 499.9, followed by France, which makes up 561.2 and 462.9 for the generation and usage of electricity. The other countries, like Brazil, represent 530.7 and 455.8; Germany accounts for 526.6 and 582.5; and lastly, Korea contributes about 485.1 and 449.5 in electricity production and consumption.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the chart’s subject and report several figures accurately, including the leading positions of China and the United States and Germany’s higher consumption than production. However, the response is below the required 150 words, containing 137 words, with 13 words from the prompt excluded from the count. More importantly, it lacks a clear overview of the main patterns: for example, China and the US are far ahead of the other countries, and production exceeds consumption in nearly all cases, with Germany the exception. Some data are also omitted or unclear: Japan is not discussed, and Russia is described as “develops,” which does not explain the comparison. Add a concise overview and cover the key contrasts more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The information is generally presented in a sensible order, moving from China and the US to the lower-ranked countries, and linking phrases such as “followed by,” “In contrast,” and “lastly” help guide the reader. However, the response is one continuous paragraph, so the overview and supporting details are not clearly separated. The repeated pattern of listing production and consumption figures also makes the progression feel mechanical, while “In contrast” does not introduce a clear contrast between Canada and France. Use a separate overview paragraph, then group the leading countries and the remaining countries, highlighting the main comparisons rather than listing every figure in sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “production,” “consumption,” “generation,” “usage,” “considerable decline,” and “accounts for.” These choices make the topic clear, and the meaning is generally easy to follow. Some wording is imprecise or awkward for describing chart data: “Russia develops and produces” suggests development rather than a measured value, while “contributes” and “makes up” are not the most natural choices for reporting electricity output. “Ranked at the top” is understandable but could be more concise. Aim for precise reporting verbs and avoid varying vocabulary when the alternatives do not fit the data relationship.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You show a mix of sentence forms, including a complex sentence beginning “In contrast” and clauses joined with “whereas” and “which.” Most sentences communicate the figures clearly, and errors rarely prevent understanding. There are some issues with how units and comparisons are expressed: “5,398kWh” should be separated and, according to the chart, expressed in billion kWh; the sentence about Russia also has an awkward structure in “as Russia develops and produces about 1,057 and 1,038kWh.” The long final sentence strings several country comparisons together, making the grammatical relationships harder to track. Use shorter, controlled sentences and check that each figure is clearly linked to production or consumption.

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

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