Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-22

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 and table below illustrate a country's exports earnings during 2015 and 2016 in various categories such as (Petroleum products, Engineered goods, Gems and jewelery, Agricultural products, textiles), and also the percentage change in values throughout the two years.

The first category mentioned in the chart is Petrolleum products which earned the country in 2015, 60 billion dollars. And in 2016 it earned it an approximat of 62 billion dollars, with a 3% increase in value.

Engineered goods are second with over 55 billlion dollars made in 2015, which increased to be around 62 billlion dolars in 2016 with and 8.5% increase in value.

Gems and jewellery are third, with around 44 billion dollars made in 2015, which is more than the 40 billion dollars made in 2016, with a 5.18% decrease.

Agricultural products are fourth with 30 billion dollars made in 2015, which is slightly less than what was earned from this category in 2016, which was over 40 biilion dollars, With a 0,81% increase in value.

Finally, textiles which earned 25 billion dollars in 2015, and over 30 billion dollars in 2016, with the highest increase of value in all the categories, that reached 15.24%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You report all five categories and include the main percentage changes, correctly identifying textiles as the fastest-growing category and gems and jewellery as the only one to decline. However, the response lacks a clear overview that summarises the overall pattern, and several figures are materially inaccurate: agricultural exports were about $31.5 billion in 2016, not over $40 billion, and the 2015 engineered-goods figure was about $57 billion rather than simply “over 55.” The category-by-category account gives relevant details, but the major misreading weakens the accuracy of the report. Add a concise overview and check each figure against the chart, especially the agricultural comparison, to make the key features clear and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows a clear sequence through the five categories, using “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and “finally” to guide the reader. This makes the response easy to follow overall. However, the organisation is largely a list rather than a developed summary: there is no separate overview paragraph to establish the main trends before the details. Some sentence links are also awkward, such as “And in 2016 it earned it,” and the repeated “which” clauses make several comparisons feel mechanically connected. Grouping the increases together and contrasting them with the decline in gems and jewellery would create stronger progression and more purposeful cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “exports,” “category,” “increase,” “decrease,” and “highest,” so the reader can understand the comparisons. However, some wording is repetitive or imprecise: “earned” and “made” recur, while “earned the country” is an awkward collocation. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “Petrolleum,” “billlion,” “dolars,” and “biilion,” as well as the inconsistent spelling “jewelery.” These do not usually prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy and control. Use standard forms such as “export revenue” and “rose to,” and proofread category names and number-related vocabulary carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts both simple statements and longer comparative sentences, for example, “Gems and jewellery are third, with around 44 billion dollars made in 2015, which is more than the 40 billion dollars made in 2016.” The main comparisons are generally understandable, but some sentence structures are awkward or incomplete. “The first category … earned the country in 2015, 60 billion dollars” has an unnatural placement of the time phrase, and “Finally, textiles which earned 25 billion dollars in 2015, and over 30 billion dollars in 2016” lacks a clear main clause. Punctuation and capitalisation are also inconsistent, as in “With a 0,81% increase.” Aim for complete, direct sentences and use consistent punctuation when joining comparisons.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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