Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-04
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 chart illustrates the export earnings of a specific country i n a numerous sectors in two years namely 2015 and 2016. While, the table presents the proportion change in each category of exports in the year 2016 compared with 2015.
Overall, it is evident that, there was an upward trend is seen in the all export expenditures except the gems and jewellery sector. Also the highest percentage of change is seen in textiles.
To begin with, In year 2015 the highest export earning came from petroleum and engineered goods at around 60 billion, after a year, they witnessed a minor increase of around 62 billion. Similarly, the agricultural products and textiles industries experienced the same percentage of earnings in both years which is under 30 billion. In contrast, the gems and jewellery showed a minimal reduction from around 43 to 41 billion by the end of the period.
On the other hand, all the categories experienced an inclined trend in their percentage, whereas, the gems and jewellery decreasing approximately 5.18%. Textiles were the leading category that is 15.24%, followed by engineered goods at 8.5% and the least one is petroleum products only at 1%.
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 summarizing the main features of both the chart and the table. You successfully identified the upward trends and the exception of gems and jewellery. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by inaccuracies in data interpretation. For instance, you state that petroleum and engineered goods were at 'around 60 billion' in 2015, but the chart shows these are separate categories with different values. Additionally, describing the percentage change as 'earnings' in the third paragraph is imprecise. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the categories and accurately report the specific figures provided in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In contrast', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or misused, such as the comma usage after 'While' in the first paragraph. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the general overview to specific data points. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensuring that referencing between sentences is consistently clear.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'proportion change', and 'reduction'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, 'export expenditures' is used incorrectly to describe export earnings, and 'inclined trend' is not standard academic phrasing. There are also minor errors in phrasing, such as 'in a numerous sectors'. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology related to data reporting and ensure that your collocations are natural and accurate for an academic context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'there was an upward trend is seen' (double verb) and 'the least one is petroleum products only at 1%'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage and the unnecessary space in 'i n'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and eliminating redundant verbs within your sentences to improve clarity and accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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