Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-27

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 6.0)

The chart illustrates the export earnings of a country in five different categories from 2015 to 2016, while the table compares the percentage change in exports in each category during the same period.

Overall, export earnings of petroleum products and engineered goods were considerably higher than other categories, whereas textiles represented the lowest export earnings. In contrast, the percentage change in textiles increased over the period, while the percentage change in agricultural products and petroleum products was decreased.

An analysis of the table reveals that, in 2015, petroleum products accounted for nearly 61 billion in export earnings, while they increased slightly to 63 billion in the following year. Similarly, in 2015, engineered goods recorded 62 billion in export earnings, while they rose to approximately 62 billion by 2016. In contrast, gems and jewellery accounted for 43 billion and 41 billion in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Moreover, agricultural goods recorded 31 billion in 2015, and it increased to 32 billion by 2016. Textiles accounted for the lowest export earnings, at 27 billion in 2015, and this figure reached 32 billion by 2016.

From the table, it is evident that textiles contributed the highest percentage change, at 15% from 2015 to 2016. In addition, engineered goods recorded an 8.5% change, while gems and jewellery accounted for 5.18%. Furthermore, agricultural products and petroleum products recorded 0.81% and 3%, respectively, during the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the main features of both the chart and the table. You successfully identify the key trends and make relevant comparisons between categories. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you state that engineered goods rose to 'approximately 62 billion' in 2016, whereas the data shows a clear increase from 62 to 67.1 billion. Additionally, your description of the percentage changes in the final paragraph contradicts the provided table (e.g., you list petroleum at 3%, while the table shows a decrease of 3%). Accuracy is a core component of Task Achievement in Task 1; therefore, these data errors limit the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast,' 'Similarly,' and 'Furthermore' to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is generally clear, moving from the export values to the percentage changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different data sets. While the flow is logical, the internal consistency is occasionally undermined by the data inaccuracies mentioned in the Task Achievement section, which makes the comparison of figures slightly confusing for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates,' 'accounted for,' and 'contributed.' There is some attempt to use less common vocabulary, such as 'export earnings' and 'percentage change.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat the same phrasing ('accounted for,' 'recorded') throughout the response. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more varied synonyms and more precise collocations to describe trends and data fluctuations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'while' clauses to contrast data. Most sentences are clear and easy to follow. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'was decreased' (passive voice error) and 'it increased' (referring to plural 'agricultural goods'). However, these errors do not impede communication. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence structure is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without significant difficulty.

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