Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-24

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 production and consumption (given in billion kWh) of electricity by the top ten countries in the year 2014.

Overall, China and United States among the ten countries produced and consumed the largest amount of electricity whereas all the other eigth countries relevantly produced and consumed a very low amount of electricity. The only country where the amount of consumption was greater than the amount of production was Germany.

China was on the top of the list in producing and consuming the electricity.

In 2014, China produced 4,396 billion kWh and consumed 3,866 billion kWh of elcetricity. United States was a little below than China it produced 4,099 and the electricity that was consumed by the USA was 3,866 billion kWh. Russia produced 1,057 and consumed 1,038 billion kWh ofelectricity.

The countries starting from Japan were below a 1000 billion kWh.

Japan produced 936.2 and consumed 856.7 billon kWh of electricity. Indi produced 871 and consumed 698.8 billion kWh. Canada produced 618 and consumed 499.9 billion kWh of elecetricity . all the other countries produced and consumed a very low amount

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main pattern that China and the United States lead production and consumption, and correctly note that Germany is the only country where consumption exceeds production. However, the overview is weakened by calling the other eight countries’ figures “very low” without distinguishing their substantial differences. There is also a major factual error: China’s production is reported as 4,396, whereas the chart gives 5,398; the stated US production is then repeated as China’s consumption, which should be 5,322. The response gives figures only through Canada and does not report the notable German values or compare the lower-ranked countries in detail. Select the most informative figures accurately and develop the overview with clearer comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs moving from the leading countries to those below 1,000 billion kWh. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression becomes less clear because China is mentioned in the overview and then again in a separate sentence before the figures, while the final statement that “all the other countries” produced and consumed very little is vague and unfinished as a comparison. Linking phrases such as “In 2014” and “The countries starting from Japan” help, but connections between the figures are limited. Grouping the data into leaders and lower producers, then comparing production with consumption within each group, would create a more consistent progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “production,” “consumption,” “amount,” and “billion kWh,” so the topic remains understandable. There is some repetition, particularly of “produced and consumed” and “very low amount,” and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “a little below than China” and “on the top of the list.” Spelling errors including “eigth,” “elcetricity,” “billon,” “Indi,” and “elecetricity” are noticeable and reduce accuracy. Aim for a more varied but precise set of comparison terms, and check spelling carefully. For example, “ranked first” and “considerably lower” would express the comparisons more naturally than the phrases currently used.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes some longer sentence attempts, such as the overview beginning “Overall,” and the sentence comparing China and the United States, but control is inconsistent. The opening overview is missing a verb in “China and United States among the ten countries produced,” and “the other eigth countries relevantly produced” has an unclear grammatical construction. There are also faulty comparisons in “a little below than China,” and punctuation problems, including the run-on sequence “United States was a little below than China it produced…”. Most sentences rely on simple past-tense patterns, with limited accurate variety. Use complete clauses, add articles where needed (“the United States”), and separate related comparisons with conjunctions or full stops.

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.