Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-14

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 6.5)

The chart and table illustrate the percentage of one country's exports during 2015 and 2016 in five categories: petroleum products, engineered goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products and textiles.

Overall, petroleum products and engineered goods had the largest proportions among all five categories in both 2015 and 2016. Gems and jewellery had the second largest percentage followed by agricultural products and textiles which had the smallest proportions over the two years. Textiles had the largest percentage change in values over the two years while agricultural products changed much less over the same period.

Textiles experienced a significant increase of 15.24% between 2015 and 2016. Similarly, engineered goods rose over the period with a change of 8.5%.

In contrast, gems and jewellery experienced a decline of 5.18% in the same period. Petroleum products increased slightly from a percentage of 61% in 2015 to 64% in 2016 with a change of 3%. Agricultural products, however, remained almost stable with a change of 0.81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student covers all parts of the task well by providing an overview and detailing specific figures and percentage changes across the various categories. For instance, the response correctly notes that petroleum products and engineered goods had the largest proportions, and accurately cites figures such as the 15.24% increase for textiles and the decline of 5.18% for gems and jewellery. However, there is a slight misinterpretation in the overview where the student refers to the chart as showing 'percentages' of exports rather than 'values' (e.g., billions of dollars), although the actual comparisons and figures reported from the table and chart are largely accurate. The main features are selected and reported effectively, earning a solid Band 7.0 for fully addressing the prompt requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped sensibly, starting with a clear introduction, moving to an overall summary of the main features, and concluding with detailed paragraph breakdowns of specific categories and their percentage changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different groups of data (increases versus decreases). Cohesive devices are handled adequately, using phrases such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'Similarly' to guide the reader through the data. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraphing could be slightly more refined to ensure seamless transitions, placing this securely at Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms relevant to data reporting such as 'proportions', 'significant increase', 'decline', and 'remained almost stable'. There is some attempt to use less common vocabulary like 'engineered goods' and 'petroleum products'. While the lexical range is adequate to convey the data accurately, there are occasional inaccuracies, such as misidentifying monetary export values as percentages in the opening sentence ('illustrate the percentage of one country's exports'). Nevertheless, the vocabulary is precise enough to communicate the main points clearly, aligning with the descriptors for Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over grammatical structures. Examples of complex structures include 'Textiles experienced a significant increase of 15.24% between 2015 and 2016' and 'Petroleum products increased slightly from a percentage of 61% in 2015 to 64% in 2016 with a change of 3%'. Grammar and punctuation are generally well-controlled, with frequent error-free sentences. Minor slips do not impede communication at all. The control over sentence patterns and overall accuracy comfortably places this response in the Band 7.0 category.

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