Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-23

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 chart illustrates the value of a country's shipment in numerous categories in 2015 and 2016. Meanwhile, the table shows the percentages change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.

Overall, the categories are given on x-axis and its export earning( $ billion) on y-axis. These categories includes: Petroleum products, Engineered goods, Gems and jewellery, Agricultural products, Textiles.

To begin with, Petroleum products were earning the most in both years. It had earned $60 billion in 2015 and $63 billion in 2016. Afterwards. engineered goods had earned $57 billion in 2015 and $61 billion in 2016. Gems and jewellery earn approximately $42 billion and $40 billion respectively, Agricutural products earn approximately same in both years. Finally, textiles earn approximately $26 billion and $31 billion respectively.

For the table given below the bar chart shows the relative changes of each category between both years. Petroleum products shipment increases 3%,Engineered goods increases 8.5%, while Gems and jewellery decreases by 5.18%, Agricultural products increases 0.18% and textiles increases 15.24%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You cover both the chart and the table, and identify petroleum as the highest-earning category and textiles as the strongest percentage gainer. Several figures are broadly accurate, including petroleum at about $60–63 billion and textiles at about $26–31 billion. However, the overview mainly describes the axes and lists categories rather than summarising the main trends. Some details are inaccurate: agricultural products rose by about 0.81%, not 0.18%, and engineered goods reached about $62 billion in 2016, rather than $61 billion. You also say gems earned about $42 billion and $40 billion, which is close, but should make clear that this category declined. A clearer overview contrasting the general rises with the fall in gems would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence: an introduction, a description of the chart, and a final account of the table. This helps the reader locate the information, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “Finally” signal movement between categories. However, the overview paragraph does not provide a meaningful summary of the data, so the progression from introduction to details is not fully effective. Some linking is mechanical or awkward, particularly “Afterwards” before the engineered-goods figure and “For the table given below” when moving to the table. The long middle section also places several categories in one run-on sequence. Grouping the categories by trend and using clearer transitions would improve the flow and make comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “bar chart,” “exports,” “categories,” “percentage,” and “decreases,” so the subject is generally clear. There is some attempt to vary wording with “shipment” and “relative changes,” but several choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing export values. For example, “Petroleum products were earning” is less suitable than saying they “generated” or “recorded” export revenue, and “percentages change” is not the correct form. Spelling errors such as “Agricutural” also reduce accuracy. Repeated use of “earn” limits the range. Aim for precise reporting verbs and standard collocations for describing figures and trends; this would make the vocabulary more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate the main comparisons using mostly simple sentence patterns, and the opening sentence successfully introduces the two visuals. However, the range of structures is limited, and errors recur in agreement, verb forms, articles, and punctuation. For example, “These categories includes” should use a plural verb, while “Gems and jewellery earn” and “textiles earn” do not maintain the past-tense reporting used elsewhere. The phrase “the percentages change” also has an incorrect grammatical form. Punctuation is sometimes faulty, as in “Afterwards. engineered goods,” and there is no space after the comma in “3%,Engineered.” Practise combining accurate comparison clauses and checking tense and agreement consistently.

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

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