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)

Task 1

The bar chart compares the information of country exports of different The bar chart compares the country exports earnings of various products with percentages during the year of 2015 and 2016.

In the first bar chart illustrates the exports earning of the country. It divides into two categories. On y-axis shows the amounts and on the x-axis represent the different products. Intially the petroleum product in 2015 earn 60 billion dollars moreover in 2016 it earns 63 billion dollars that is very negligible change. It can earn 3% more than the former years. Similarly, the engineering goods have raised 54 billion dollars in 2015 and 62.5 billion in 2015 that ma creates a big impact on revenue with 8.5% difference.

Conversely, Gems and Jewelery a very small change seen in 2015 and 2016. In 2015 it earns 45 billion dollar and in 2016 earn 40 billion that is comparatively less amount raised than the previous year and it can goes down with 5.8%. In addition to agriculture products earn 31 billion in 2015 and 31.81 billion in 2016 with the increment of 0.81%. At last textile can earn in 24.76 billion in 2015 and 32 billion in 2016 that is substantial change up to 15.24%.

In conclusion the bar chart represents the information of exports earnings of various varities of one country with the percentage gain or loss table of year 2015 and 2016.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the data and provided a clear overview of the trends. You included specific data points for all categories, which is essential for Task 1. However, the response lacks a clear, cohesive 'overview' paragraph; the summary is somewhat buried in the conclusion. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a distinct summary of the most significant trends (e.g., the overall growth in textile exports versus the decline in gems) in the introduction or immediately following it. You have covered all parts of the task well, but the analytical depth could be improved by grouping the categories more effectively rather than listing them individually.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices like 'Conversely', 'In addition', and 'At last'. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by repetitive phrasing and some mechanical transitions. For example, the opening sentence is redundant, repeating 'The bar chart compares' twice. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'it can goes down', where the subject-verb agreement and pronoun usage create a slightly disjointed feel. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'revenue', 'substantial', and 'increment'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'earns 60 billion dollars' (should be 'earned' or 'accounted for') and 'that ma creates a big impact'. The phrase 'various varities' is also redundant. To improve, focus on using more precise verbs for describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'surged', or 'experienced a marginal increase', rather than relying on 'earns' or 'raised'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Common issues include tense inconsistency (e.g., 'it earns' instead of 'it earned' for 2015 data), subject-verb agreement errors ('it can goes down'), and missing articles. Some sentences are also structurally incomplete or awkward, such as 'In the first bar chart illustrates...'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for tense consistency and basic sentence construction.

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.