Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-15

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 chart illustrates the value of the exports of one country in several categories during 2015 and 2016. Additionally, the table compared the alteration in the ratio of each category of exports during these two years.

Overall, the exports of petroleum products and engineered itmes are comparatively remained high in these two years. However, the overall exports of petroleum, engineered, textile, and agriculture products has been increased except in gems and jewellery items throughout this period. Likewise, the table is demonstrating the similar trend in percentage change which is elevated in the exports of petroleum, engineered, textile, and agriculture products, while decreased in gems and jewellery items.

In 2015, the exports of categories including petroleum products were highest 61 billions, engineered items were 56 billions, following 43 billion for jewellery, 31 billion for agriculture, and 25 billion for textile. Which reached to 63 billions in petroleum, 62 billions in engineered, slightly increased in agriculture with one billions, and almost 10 billion in texile in 2016. Whereas, the export of gems and jewellery was decline by 2 billions.

In the table, the percentage change in petroleum, engineered, textile, and agriculture products is 3%, 8.5%,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main categories and give a useful overview that most exports rose, while gems and jewellery fell. You also correctly highlight petroleum and engineered goods as the largest earners. However, some figures and comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: engineered goods were about 57 billion in 2015, not 56, and textiles rose from about 26 to 31.5 billion, not “almost 10 billion.” The overview also says all four rising categories increased, but the body does not clearly report the 2016 agricultural figure or the percentage changes for every category; the response ends before completing the table summary. To strengthen coverage, report the key values accurately and finish by comparing the largest and smallest percentage changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the chart and table. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In the table” help signal shifts. However, progression is weakened by unclear links and incomplete development. The sentence beginning “Which reached to 63 billions” is a fragment, and “Whereas” introduces another fragment rather than a complete contrast. The final paragraph stops after listing only some percentages, so the table discussion has no clear conclusion. Grouping the main increases together, then contrasting the decline in gems and jewellery, would make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “exports,” “categories,” “percentage change,” and “decline,” and you attempt alternatives such as “alteration” and “items.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing this chart: “ratio” does not mean percentage change here, “comparatively remained high” is awkward, and “elevated” is not a natural way to describe rising export values. Spelling errors such as “itmes” and “texile” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, conventional chart language and avoid substituting less suitable synonyms. Terms such as “export earnings,” “increased,” “fell,” and “accounted for” would help you describe the data more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including contrasts introduced by “However” and “Whereas,” but control is inconsistent. Agreement errors occur in “the overall exports … has been increased” and “the table is demonstrating”; the latter also uses an unnecessarily progressive form. Several clauses are incomplete, notably “Which reached to 63 billions” and “Whereas, the export … was decline.” There are also problems with articles, plurals, and sentence boundaries, as in “61 billions” and the comma splice-like sequence in the 2015 figures. These errors sometimes make relationships between figures difficult to interpret. Practise complete comparative sentences and check subject–verb agreement, past-tense forms, and punctuation.

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