Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-15
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 8.0)
The bar chart compares the value of a country's exports in five different categories in 2015 and 2016, while the table illustrates the percentage change in export values between the two years.
Overall, petroleum products and engineered goods generated the highest export revenues in both years. Most categories experienced growth in 2016, with textiles recording by far the largest increase. In contrast, exports of gems and jewellery declined slightly.
In 2015, petroleum products were the country's largest export, earning approximately $61 billion, followed by engineered goods at around $57 billion. In 2016, the value of petroleum exports rose by 3% to roughly $63 billion, while earnings from engineered goods increased by 8.5% to about $62 billion. As a result, the gap between these two categories became considerably smaller.
Gems and jewellery generated approximately $43 billion in 2015, making them the third-largest export category. However, their value fell by 5.18% in 2016 to around $41 billion. Agricultural products, on the other hand, showed only a marginal increase of 0.81%, remaining at just over $31 billion in both years.
Textiles had the lowest export value in 2015, at approximately $25 billion. Nevertheless, they experienced the most substantial growth, increasing by 15.24% to about $30 billion in 2016. Despite this significant rise, textiles remained the lowest-earning category in 2016, although they almost caught up with agricultural products.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response fully addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and successfully selected and reported key features from both the chart and the table. Comparisons are made effectively, such as noting the narrowing gap between petroleum and engineered goods. The data is accurately represented, and the inclusion of specific figures supports your points well. The response is well-structured and covers all categories, meeting the requirements for a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from the overview to detailed comparisons of the export categories. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'As a result', and 'on the other hand' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly throughout the text. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of cohesive devices.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary, which is used with precision. Phrases like 'generated the highest export revenues', 'marginal increase', and 'substantial growth' show a good command of topic-specific language. The word choice is natural and appropriate for an academic report. There are no noticeable errors in spelling or collocation, and the vocabulary is varied enough to avoid repetition while maintaining clarity throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You successfully use complex sentences, such as 'While the table illustrates...' and 'Despite this significant rise, textiles remained...', with no errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and punctuation is used correctly throughout. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent, and there are no grammatical slips that impede communication or distract the reader.
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.