Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-24

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 one country's exports in various categories during the year 2015 and 2016 and it also shows the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.

Overall, Petroleum products has the highest value among all the product categories in the year 2016 and textiles experience a lowest export earning in 2015 but it increased by 15.24% in 2016 which is the major percentage change among all the products.

Looking first at export earnings chart, in 2016 petroleum products has the highest earning in export which is approxmately $64 billions.Followed by engineered goods which has $62 billions of money value in export earning. While, agriculuture products have almost same trends in both year which is roughly $32 billions in 2015 and $34 billions in 2016. Textiles have the highest change in their earning in 2016 which is around $33 billons.

Then comes second chart, agriculural products has lowest percentage change in values which is 0.81%. Engineered good has 8.5% of change in their earning. The highest propotional change occurs in textiles products which is 15.24%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s subject and provide an overview, noting that petroleum products lead in 2016 and textiles show the largest percentage increase. However, the overview is incomplete, and several key details are inaccurate: petroleum is about $63 billion, not $64 billion; agricultural exports are about $31 billion in 2015 and $31.5 billion in 2016, not $32 billion and $34 billion. You also omit the decline in gems and jewellery, from about $43 billion to $41 billion, and do not report its 5.18% fall. The response selects some relevant comparisons, but coverage is partial and the figures need closer checking. Include the main rises and the one decline, supported by accurate comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs that discuss the chart and table. Phrases such as “Looking first” and “Then comes” help signal the shift between sources. However, progression within the chart paragraph is uneven: petroleum and engineered goods are followed by agriculture and textiles, while gems and jewellery is omitted. Some links are awkward or incomplete, as in “While, agricultural products…” and “Followed by engineered goods…”, which interrupt the flow. The table discussion is also brief and does not systematically compare the categories. Grouping the main increases together, then contrasting them with the decline, would make the information easier to follow and the paragraphing more purposeful.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “percentage change,” and “highest,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “has the highest earning in export,” “money value in export earning,” and “highest proportional change occurs in textiles products.” There are also spelling errors, including “approxmately,” “agriculuture,” “billons,” and “agriculural,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for concise, conventional chart language and check spelling carefully. For example, describe values as “exported goods were worth…” and changes as “rose by” or “recorded the largest increase,” rather than repeating “earning” and “change” in awkward combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “Petroleum products has” should use a plural verb, while “textiles experience a lowest export earning” has problems with both the article and the noun phrase. “Followed by engineered goods…” is a fragment, and “While, agricultural products…” is not correctly joined to the surrounding sentence. Tense and number are also inconsistent in phrases such as “in both year” and “products have almost same trends.” Use complete sentences, maintain past tense when describing the 2015–2016 data, and check subject–verb agreement and plural forms.

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.