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 bar graphs represents the data of one region's exports in different items in 2015 and 2016. And the table illustrates the and compare the percentage of change in each category in 2016 compared with 2015. The data for bar graphs is given in billions dollars and percentage for table.

Overall, the amount of exports done in both the years were slightly same and highest exported items in 2015 and 2016 were petroleum products and least were textiles. However, the biggest surge was noticed in Textiles and lowest rise was petroleum products in 2016 compared to 2015.

The petroleum products were most exported category among all which were $61 billions and $63 billions in year 2015 and 2016 respectively. However, the percentage of change in those year were least for petroleum products, 3% high. Furthermore, engineered goods were $58B which were less compared to 2016 which was $61B. It was major surge of 8.5% in that year.

Although, the graph was in downward trend in terms of gems and jewellery and agricultural products they were not the major products of export but it were $44B and $32B in 2015 and $41B and $33B which not dramatic changes were gems and jewellery fell 5.18% which was the only category to fall in that year. Whereas, agricultural products were 0.81% high. However, the major change was in textiles, which drastically surged 15.24% in 2016, which were $25B in 2015 which rose to $31B in 2016.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task, including the bar chart and the table. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the dominance of petroleum products and the significant surge in textiles. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by some inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you stated that petroleum products had the 'least' percentage change, but the table shows agricultural products at 0.81%, which is lower than 3%. Additionally, some descriptions of the data are slightly confusing, such as the phrasing 'amount of exports done in both the years were slightly same'. More precise language would improve the clarity of your comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'however', 'furthermore', and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing and minor errors in referencing. For example, the sentence 'Although, the graph was in downward trend...' is grammatically disjointed and lacks a clear connection to the previous paragraph. The use of 'which' is sometimes repetitive, making the sentences feel a bit mechanical. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would elevate the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'surge', 'drastically', and 'category'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'slightly same' instead of 'similar' or 'roughly the same', and 'billions dollars' instead of 'billion dollars'. You also struggle with some collocations, such as 'major surge of 8.5% in that year'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on more natural collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help you achieve a more sophisticated tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The bar graphs represents'), missing articles (e.g., 'in year 2015'), and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'which not dramatic changes were gems and jewellery fell'). While the meaning remains clear, these errors are noticeable and occur throughout the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Additionally, try to simplify complex sentences if you find that your current structures lead to grammatical confusion.

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