Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-23

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 5.0)

The given bar chart shows the value one country's exports in vatious categories during 2015 and 2016.

In 2015 export earnings from petroleum products is $ 60 billion whereas in 2016 $ 62 billion are claimed from petroleum products. The second product is engineered goods in 2015 53 billion dollars are claimed from engineered goods.

The third category is gems and jewellery $ 42 billions are earned from gems and jewellery whereas $ 40 billion are claimed from gems and jewellery in 2016.

The fourth category is agricultural products in 2015 30 billion dollars are earned from agricultural products whereas 32 billion dollars are claimed from agricultural products in 2016.

The fifth category is textiles in 2015, around 25 billion dollars are spent on textiles whereas 30 billion dollars are earned from textiles.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to address the task fully. While it identifies some data points, it ignores the table showing percentage changes entirely. The summary is incomplete, and the lack of an overview or comparison of trends prevents a clear understanding of the data. Furthermore, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which significantly impacts the ability to develop ideas. The writing is essentially a list of figures rather than a report that selects and highlights main features. To improve, you must include an overview paragraph and incorporate the percentage change data provided in the table to make meaningful comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into short, repetitive paragraphs that lack logical progression. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas; instead, the text relies on a mechanical 'The [x] category is...' structure. Referencing is repetitive, and there is no clear flow between sentences or paragraphs. The text feels like a series of isolated statements rather than a cohesive report. To improve, use transition words such as 'in contrast,' 'meanwhile,' or 'consequently' to connect your observations and ensure that your paragraphs follow a logical structure, such as grouping related categories together.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. You frequently use the same phrases, such as 'are claimed from' and 'are earned from,' which are often used incorrectly in this context (e.g., 'claimed' is not appropriate for export earnings). There are also spelling errors like 'vatious' instead of 'various.' The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate any flexibility or precision. To improve, try to vary your verbs and nouns, using terms like 'generated,' 'accounted for,' 'experienced a growth of,' or 'witnessed a decline' to describe the data more accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The grammatical range is very limited, consisting almost entirely of simple sentences. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and tense usage, such as 'export earnings... is' and '53 billion dollars are claimed.' Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and incorrect spacing around currency symbols. The lack of complex sentence structures makes the writing feel simplistic. To improve, focus on using a mix of simple and complex sentences, and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when describing data from past years.

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

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