Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
The bar chart compares the value of a country’s exports in five different categories in 2015 and 2016, while the table shows the percentage change in export earnings over the same period.
Overall, petroleum products and engineered goods generated the highest export earnings in both years, whereas textiles had the lowest earnings in 2015. Most categories experienced an increase in export value, with the exception of gems and jewellery. Textiles recorded the largest percentage growth.
In 2015, petroleum products were the leading export, earning approximately $61 billion, followed by engineered goods at around $57 billion. In 2016, earnings from both categories increased, reaching roughly $63 billion and $62 billion, respectively. Petroleum exports therefore remained the highest-earning category, although the gap between these two categories became much smaller.
By contrast, earnings from gems and jewellery fell from approximately $43 billion in 2015 to $40 billion in 2016, representing a decline of 5.18%. Agricultural products showed only a marginal increase, rising from about $31 billion to $32 billion, or 0.81%.
Finally, textiles experienced the most significant growth. Their export value increased from approximately $26 billion in 2015 to $30 billion in 2016, which represented a rise of 15.24%. Despite this substantial increase, textiles remained one of the lower-earning export categories in 2016.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends, identifying the highest-earning categories and noting the general increase in export values. The selection of data is accurate, and you have successfully integrated information from both the bar chart and the table to support your points. Comparisons are made appropriately, such as noting the narrowing gap between petroleum and engineered goods. The response is well-structured and covers all categories mentioned in the prompt, ensuring that the reader gets a comprehensive summary of the provided data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving logically from the highest earners to the declining category and finally to the category with the most significant growth. Cohesive devices such as 'by contrast', 'finally', and 'whereas' are used naturally to link sentences and paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the data, making the report easy to follow and professional in tone.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'generated the highest export earnings', 'marginal increase', and 'significant growth' show a strong command of topic-specific language. The use of 'respectively' to handle multiple data points is a sophisticated touch. Word choice is precise throughout, and there are no noticeable errors in spelling or collocation. To reach the highest band, you could incorporate slightly more varied synonyms for 'increase' or 'decline' to avoid repetition, but the current range is already quite sufficient for a high score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing displays a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'representing a decline of 5.18%'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. Tense usage is consistent, correctly reflecting the past timeframe of the data. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The sentence structures are varied, which keeps the report engaging and demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence.
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