Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-13
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 compares the export earnings of a country from five different products categories from 2015 to 2016. The table below show the percentage change in values.
Overall, petroleum products generated the highest export revenue in both years, whereas textile sector has declined over those years. Textile sector has increased the largest growth but gems and jewellery has declined.
In 2015, petroleum products were the leading export, earning around 60 billion. Engineered goods has also earns a good revenue around 57 billion. In 2016 revenue from this two categories risen by 3% and 8.5% respectively, reaching 63 and 61 billion, which is a lot.
On the other hand, gems and jewellery, textile has earned 43 and 28 billion respectively but in 2016 it declined 5.18% and textile increased 15.24%, reaching 40 and 32 billion. But agricultural products has the same revenues in both 2015 and 2016, which is 31 billion.
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 addresses the task by identifying the main features and making comparisons. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state that the textile sector declined, but the table shows a 15.24% increase. Additionally, you mention that gems and jewellery declined, which is correct, but your summary of the 'largest growth' is contradictory. While you cover all categories, the misinterpretation of the data trends prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure that you carefully cross-reference the chart and table before writing to avoid factual errors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 2015', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by the factual inaccuracies mentioned in the task achievement section. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother to ensure a more professional flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'generated', 'revenue', and 'categories'. However, there is some repetition and a lack of precision. Phrases like 'which is a lot' are too informal for an academic report. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'this two categories' (should be 'these two') and 'has also earns' (subject-verb agreement error). Expanding your range of reporting verbs and avoiding informal commentary would help improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect clarity, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'table show', 'Engineered goods has also earns', 'textile sector has increased'). There are also issues with pluralisation and article usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic grammatical rules.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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