Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-05

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 6.5)

The bar chart delineates the earnings of one country's export in numerous categories between 2015 and 2016. The table illustrates the variation in percentage in each category of exports by comparing 2016 with 2015.

Overall, both the petroleum and engineered products contributed a large proportion of export while the textile and agricultural products added less value to export. Meanwhile, the gems and jewellery maintained a balanced export in both years.

In 2015, petroleum and engineering products contributed $61 and $58 billion, respectively. Later, this figure climbed to $62 billion and $61 billion, respectively in 2016. The gems and jewellery products accounted for $42 billion in 2015 and above $40 billion in 2016. The agricultural products added $31 billion in 2015 and $31.5 billion 2016. The textiles' exports were $28 billion in 2015 but later rose to $31 billion in 2016.

Textiles showed a significant increment of 15.24% while the agricultural products raised by only 0.81%. The percentage of gems and jewellery items illustrated a decline of 5.18%. Meanwhile, the petroleum and engineered products grew by 3% and 8.5%, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main features, such as the dominance of petroleum and engineering exports, and provided relevant comparisons between the two years. The data is accurately reported, and the inclusion of the percentage change table adds depth to the analysis. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between the bar chart data and the table data is more explicitly integrated, rather than presenting them in separate paragraphs, to create a more cohesive analytical narrative.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the raw data from the percentage changes. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'In 2015', and 'Later' are used to guide the reader through the data. However, the transition between the third and fourth paragraphs could be smoother; the shift from absolute values to percentage changes feels slightly mechanical. Improving the use of referencing and linking phrases would help the flow of information feel more natural and less like a list of facts.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately, including terms like 'delineates', 'illustrates', 'significant increment', and 'balanced export'. There is a good attempt to use less common items, which is appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. While the vocabulary is generally precise, there are minor issues with collocation, such as 'balanced export' or 'raised by', which could be more naturally phrased as 'remained stable' or 'increased by'. Overall, the lexical range is adequate to communicate the data clearly without significant errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'the petroleum and engineered products contributed a large proportion of export' (should be 'exports') and 'added $31.5 billion 2016' (missing 'in'). These errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as using more participial phrases or relative clauses to combine related data points more fluidly.

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

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