Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-04
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The chart below shows the value of one country’s exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016. The table shows the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The bar chart and the table illustrate data on a country's export earnings in different categories in 2015 and 2016, along with the percentage change from 2015 to 2016.
Overall, the export performance showed a mixed trend across different product categories.
According to the bar chart, petroleum products and engineered goods were the top two categories in both years. Petroleum products earned around 60 billion dollars in 2015 and slightly more in 2016, while engineered goods earned 57 billions in 2015 and over 60% in 2016. Gems and jewellery, Agricultural products and Textiles had lower earning. Gems and jewellery saw a decline value approximately over 42 billions in 2015 and around 40 billions in 2016. Textiles earned under 30 billions in 2015 and something increased 32 billons in 2016. Next, the Agricultural products sector remained relatively stable at around 30 billions.
According to the table, the most categories experienced growth in 2016 except for gems and jewellary. Textiles had the highest percentage rise at 15.24%, followed by Engineered goods at 8.5%. Petroleum products and Agricultural products grew by at 3% and 0.81%. However, Gems and jewellery value decreased at 5.18%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all requirements of the task by summarizing the main features of both the bar chart and the table. You successfully identified the top categories and noted the trends. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, you stated engineered goods earned 'over 60%' in 2016, which is a misinterpretation of the value (60 billion). Additionally, the description of 'Gems and jewellery' as having a 'decline value' is slightly imprecise. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed accurately and that comparisons between the two years are more clearly linked to the percentage changes provided in the table.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs covering the chart and table respectively. The progression of ideas is generally clear. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall,' 'According to,' and 'However,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the phrase 'Next, the Agricultural products sector' feels slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that sentences flow more naturally into one another would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'export earnings,' 'product categories,' and 'remained relatively stable.' There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'gems and jewellary' (spelling) and 'decline value' instead of 'declining value.' You also use 'something increased' which is imprecise and unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that you are using the correct word forms when describing trends. Expanding your vocabulary to include more varied verbs for change (e.g., 'surged,' 'dipped,' 'fluctuated') would also be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the most categories experienced growth' (should be 'most categories') and 'grew by at 3%' (incorrect preposition usage). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'had lower earning' instead of 'lower earnings.' While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for small errors like missing plurals or incorrect prepositions will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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