Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-25
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 provided bar graph depicts the amount of one country's earnings through exportation in five different categories between 2015 and 2016. While, table represents the overall change in percentages in each category of export products in the year 2016 compared with 2015.
Overall, what stands out from the data is that petroleum products was the only category which earned the most in both years, followed by engineered goods which came second. However, textiles were the most exported in 2016.
Looking at the details, $60 billion was earned in 2015, by exporting the petroleum products, it increased just over this in 2016, overall, its exportation rose to 3%. In 2015, textiles earned just $25 billion, whereas it experienced a significant increase of more than $30 billion, by rising to 8%. Gems and jewellery was the only category which saw a slight decrease in its earning to $40 billion in 2016, experiencing 5.81% drop.
Agricultural products remained almost at equal amount of $30 billion in both years, a 0.81% rise. Finally, Engineered goods earned $60 billion in the year 2016, by making 8.5% profit.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by identifying main features and making comparisons. You successfully highlighted the trends and the percentage changes. However, there are some inaccuracies in data interpretation. For instance, you stated that 'textiles were the most exported in 2016', which contradicts the data showing petroleum products remained higher. Additionally, the statement about textiles increasing by 'more than $30 billion' is a misinterpretation of the data provided. To reach a higher band, ensure that your data extraction is precise and that your summary accurately reflects the figures presented in the charts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Looking at the details', and 'Finally' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as the opening sentence: 'While, table represents...'. The use of referencing is sometimes mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus will help improve the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'exportation', 'categories', and 'significant increase'. However, there are some word choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'earned the most in both years' (referring to products) and 'making 8.5% profit' (when the data refers to export value change). Some phrasing is slightly repetitive. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for data reporting, such as 'experienced a growth of' or 'remained stable at', and ensure that your vocabulary choices are contextually accurate for an academic report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally affect clarity. For example, 'petroleum products was the only category' (subject-verb agreement) and 'remained almost at equal amount' (missing article). There are also punctuation issues, such as the unnecessary comma after 'While' in the first paragraph. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and refining your sentence structure to ensure greater accuracy.
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.