Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-18

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 one country's export and changing in multiple categories between 2015 and 2016.

Overall, it is evident that petroleum products shows the highest export in both years. While, lowest export earning was from textiles. There are also different kinds of products which are shown in the graph for instance, engineered goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products.

In year 2015 and 2016 petroleum demonstrates the highest export. While, in 2016 the export was saw 3 percent more. The second highest export was stood on 57 or 61 percent for engineered goods. Gems and jewellery was 41 percent in year 2015, however in the year 2016 export percent declined upto almost 2 percent.

In contrast, agricultural products exports in the year 2015 was saw less than the 2016 export which was almost 0.81 percent more than that. Moreover, the percentage for textiles was stood almost on 24 percent whereas, in the year 2016 rose upto 15.24 percent more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main categories and correctly note that petroleum products earned the most in both years, while textiles were lowest in 2015. You also recognise the rise in textiles and the fall in gems and jewellery. However, several figures and comparisons are unclear or inaccurate: the engineered-goods values are given as “57 or 61 percent” rather than about $57 billion and $62 billion, and gems and jewellery is incorrectly described as $41 billion in 2015 (it was about $43 billion). The overview also misses the key contrast that most categories rose, while gems and jewellery declined. To strengthen the response, report values with the correct units and give a clearer summary of the overall pattern before selecting supporting details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs, and it groups categories into a broadly understandable sequence. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because comparisons are incomplete or phrased ambiguously, such as “57 or 61 percent for engineered goods.” Linking words including “While,” “In contrast” and “Moreover” are attempted, but some are used awkwardly or do not clearly express the relationship between the information. The overview also lists categories rather than synthesising the main trends. Organise the details more consistently—for example, describe the highest-earning categories first, then the lower ones—and use clear links to show increases and decreases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary such as “export,” “categories,” “declined” and “percentage,” so the reader can generally understand the subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, including “export and changing,” “highest export,” and “the percentage for textiles was stood.” Repetition of “export” and “percent” also makes the description less precise. In particular, “percent” is used where the chart reports dollar values, which can confuse the comparison. Use standard chart language such as “export earnings,” “stood at,” “rose by” and “fell to,” and distinguish carefully between a value in billions of dollars and a percentage change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “however,” but control is inconsistent and errors occur frequently enough to make some comparisons difficult to interpret. Examples include “petroleum products shows,” where the subject and verb do not agree, “the export was saw,” and “agricultural products exports … was saw.” The sentence beginning “While, lowest export earning…” is also incomplete, and several clauses are joined or punctuated awkwardly. Practise forming accurate past-tense comparisons: for example, “Petroleum earnings rose from about $61 billion to $63 billion.” Check subject–verb agreement, use complete sentences after contrast markers, and keep verb forms consistent.

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