Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The bar chart illustrates the value of one country's export earnings in different categories between 2015 and 2016.
Overall, the highest earning was petroleum products and the lowest earning was textiles in both years. The moderate earning in Engineered goods. In the table the percentage change in values had increased in engineered goods and the lowest percentage in gems and jewellery.
In petroleum products increased from $61 billion to $62 in both years. The engineered goods was higher in $56 in 2015 and $61 in 2016. Furthermore, the gems and jewellery was lowered in $42 and $40. After that the agriculture products equally in both years. And the textiles had the least export earnings in both years in $25 and $31. The proportion change in values in five different categories. The textiles had greatest proportion in 15.24% in both years. The engineered goods and agriculture products accounted for 8.5% to 0.81%. And the petroleum products had changes in values in 3%. After that the least percentage recorded as gems and jewellery in 5.18% in both years. Consequently, in five different categories in which had the highest percentage in textiles and the lowered in gems and jewellery.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by addressing both the bar chart and the table. However, the reporting of data is often inaccurate or confusing. For example, you state that petroleum products increased from $61 billion to $62, but the unit is not clearly defined, and the description of the percentage changes is inconsistent with the provided data (e.g., claiming textiles had the greatest proportion at 15.24% when the table shows a different value). The overview is present but lacks clarity in synthesizing the main trends. To improve, ensure that data points are accurately transcribed and that comparisons are logically structured to highlight the most significant features rather than listing every figure.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often mechanical and sometimes confusing. The use of cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'After that', and 'Consequently' is repetitive and occasionally used incorrectly, which disrupts the logical progression of ideas. For instance, the transition 'After that the agriculture products equally in both years' is grammatically incomplete and lacks a clear connection to the previous sentence. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus, rather than jumping between the bar chart and the table data within the same section.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic phrases such as 'highest earning', 'lowest earning', and 'in both years'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'the moderate earning in Engineered goods' (which is a fragment) and 'the proportion change in values'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and nouns related to data analysis, such as 'fluctuated', 'experienced a marginal increase', or 'remained stable'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'The engineered goods was higher in $56', 'the gems and jewellery was lowered in $42', and 'in which had the highest percentage'. These errors involve subject-verb agreement, incorrect preposition usage, and sentence fragments. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing numerical data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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