Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-22

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 proportion of production and consumption of electricity of different countries.

Overall, it was clear that China produced and consumed largest portion of electricity in the graph. While, USA hold second largest share for consumption and production of electricity in the list.

China and USA was the largest consumers and producers of electricity in 2014. While ratio of consumption and production of USA was lesser than China. On the other hand, Russia produced electricity according to their needs. Their production and consumption rates stay constant. Furthermore, Japan was producing electricity more than consumption. In addition, India also producing electricity more than consumption but their consumption rate was less than Japan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main leaders correctly: China is the largest producer and consumer, with the United States second, and you note that production exceeds consumption in several countries. However, the response only partially reports the chart. It gives no figures and covers just five countries, leaving out notable comparisons such as Germany, where consumption (582.5 billion kWh) exceeds production (526.6), unlike most of the other listed countries. The claim that Russia’s production and consumption “stay constant” is also unclear: the chart compares the two measures in one year, rather than showing change over time. The response is 114 words, below the required 150. Develop the overview and support it with accurate figures and comparisons across more of the countries.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an opening description, an overview, and a paragraph of country comparisons. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “On the other hand,” and “Furthermore” help signal relationships between points. However, the progression is limited because the discussion moves through only a few countries and does not group or compare the data systematically. “While” begins separate sentences in ways that leave the connections awkward, and “In addition” introduces another point without developing the comparison. Organise the body around clear patterns—for example, the two leading countries, then the remaining countries—and use linking phrases to make each comparison explicit. This would create a more coherent progression rather than a sequence of brief observations.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “production,” “consumption,” “largest,” “ratio,” and “rates,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is narrow and some word combinations are imprecise or unnatural, such as “largest portion of electricity,” “ratio … was lesser,” and “according to their needs.” “Stay constant” is also not suitable for comparing production and consumption in a single year. These choices sometimes make the intended comparison less clear. Aim for precise terms such as “amount,” “level,” “exceeded,” and “was slightly higher than,” and use “billion kWh” when reporting values. More accurate collocations would help you describe the chart without relying on repeated general wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex sentence forms, particularly with “While” and “On the other hand,” but control is inconsistent, and many sentences contain errors. For example, “China and USA was” has subject–verb disagreement, while “China produced and consumed largest portion” is missing an article. “India also producing” lacks a finite verb, and “USA hold” uses the wrong verb form. The sentence beginning “While, ratio…” is also awkwardly punctuated and structured. These errors recur and sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise accurate simple comparisons first, then combine them using subordinate clauses. Check articles, agreement, and complete verb forms when editing each sentence.

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