Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-24
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 diagram here illustrates two different types of chart, where one is a bar graph that displays comparision between the value of one country's exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016 and another diagram is of the table which explains the the percentage change in the values during the year 2015 & 2016. The X axis dipicts various category of products and the Y axis shows $ billions. The bar graph clearly exhibits that petroleum products and engineered products were able to generate highest amount of earnings throughout both the years but have minor growth of only 3% and 8.5% respectively. Agricultural products dipicts the least percentage of growth that is only 0.81% in 2016. After that the gems and jewellery demonstrates 5.18% of decline in 2016 among all of the product category. Whereas the textile achieves a significant profit of 15.24% which shows highest percentage of profit in the year 2016. Although petroleun products generates the highest amount of $ billions but textile industry creates impressive surge in percentage change in values among the product category.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the data, such as the highest earners and the most significant percentage changes. However, the response is presented as a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. While you mention the categories and the trends, the analysis could be more balanced. For instance, you focus heavily on the percentage changes but provide less detail on the actual export values shown in the bar chart. To improve, ensure you group your data logically and provide a clear overview that synthesizes the information from both the chart and the table rather than describing them as separate entities.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response lacks paragraphing, which is essential for a clear structure in IELTS Task 1. All ideas are contained within one long paragraph, which hinders the logical flow. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Whereas' and 'Although', the overall organization is mechanical. To reach a higher band, you should divide your response into an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs that group related data points. Improving the use of referencing and transition signals will help guide the reader more effectively through your analysis.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'generates', and 'surge'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'dipicts' (depicts), 'petroleun' (petroleum), and 'comparision' (comparison). Additionally, some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'another diagram is of the table'. To improve, focus on accuracy in spelling and collocations. Using more precise academic vocabulary, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase', would enhance the sophistication of your writing and help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
Your writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'the the percentage' (repetition), 'various category' (should be plural 'categories'), and 'textile achieves' (should be 'the textile industry'). Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, and there are minor punctuation issues. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to limit your score. Focus on proofreading your work to correct basic errors in pluralization and article usage to ensure your complex sentences are error-free.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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