Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-13
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 char illustrates the value of one country's exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016 while the table represent the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.
Overall, it is clear that petroleum products experienced the highest percentage in export earnings in 2016 and 2015 while agricultural products represented the lowest percentage of product category.
On the one hand, petroleum products experienced the highest percentage 61% and 63% in 2015 and 2016 followed closely by engineered goods at 56% and 62% in 2015 and 2016. Gems and jewellery represented the percentage approximately 44% and 41%. Agricultural products accounted the percentage approximately 32% and 33%. Textile accounted for the lowest lowest in 2015 and 2016 with approximately 25% and 32%.
On the other hand, petroleum products increased with 3% in 2015 and 2016 while engineered goods increased with 8.5%. Gems and jewellery decreased with 5.18% in 2015 and 2016. Agricultural products experienced the lowest percentage exactly 0.81%. Textile showed the highest percentage exactly 15.24% in 2015 and 2016.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the chart and table and report several key figures, including the leading petroleum earnings and the strong rise in textiles. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: agricultural products were not the lowest category; textiles had the lowest earnings in both years. Also, the figures are export values in billions of dollars, not percentages, so descriptions such as “61% and 63%” misstate the units. The table’s changes are mostly reported, but “increased with 3%” does not clearly distinguish the change from the earnings, and the 5.18% fall is not explicitly linked to 2016 compared with 2015. A more accurate overview and clearer separation of values from percentage changes would strengthen coverage.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs that separate chart values from table changes. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression within the paragraphs is limited, and the repeated “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” framing is not a natural way to distinguish the two data displays. Several sentences list categories without making comparisons explicit, while repeated references to “2015 and 2016” make the account feel mechanical. Use a clearer sequence—for example, compare the highest and lowest earnings first, then describe the percentage changes—and connect related figures in the same sentence. This would make the relationships between the data easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant task vocabulary such as “export earnings,” “percentage change,” “increased,” and “decreased,” and the meaning is generally recoverable. However, the range is limited and some word choices are inaccurate or repetitive. “Highest percentage” is used for the largest export value, although the chart reports dollar amounts; “accounted the percentage” is also an unsuitable collocation. “Textile” should be plural when referring to the category, and “lowest lowest” is an obvious repetition. Aim for precise terms such as “export value,” “earnings,” “rose by,” and “fell by,” and vary reporting verbs without changing the meaning. This would improve clarity and control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response includes some longer sentence forms, particularly in the opening sentence and the comparisons, but control is uneven and errors recur. For example, “the table represent” has subject–verb disagreement, while “petroleum products experienced the highest percentage 61% and 63%” is missing a grammatical link such as “with values of.” The phrase “Agricultural products accounted the percentage” also lacks the required structure, and “Textile accounted for the lowest lowest” contains a repeated word. Articles and sentence punctuation are inconsistent, and most comparisons rely on similar simple patterns. Practise accurate comparative structures, including “stood at …, compared with …” and “rose by … between the two years,” before adding more complex clauses.
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.