Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-28
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 graph illustrates the rate of one country's export earnings in various categories (Petroleum products, Engineered goods, Gems and jewellery, Agricultureal products and Textiles) in 2015 and 2016. While the table provides the proportion of change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.
Overall, It can be seen that earnings of export in all categories was increased in the time period except gems and jewellery. It was decreased over the period. Petroleum products showed highest trend and textiles showed the lowest. The percentage change in values showed highest increased in textiles and gems and jewellery showed declined.
Looking at the bar graph, In 2015 petroleum products, Engineered goods, agricultureal products and textiles stood at approximately 61$ billion, 55$ billion, 32$ billion, 26$ billion, respectively. In 2016, all categories was increased slightly about 63$ billion, 62$ billion, 33$ billion and 32$ billion, respectively. In contrast, Gems and jewellery was declined in about 43$ billion in 2015 and 41$ billion in 2016.
Looking at the table, it is evident that, Petroleum products, Engineered goods, Agricultural products and textiles showed Increase about 3%, 8.5%, 0.81% and 15.24%, respectively. On the other hand, Gems and jewellery accounted declined about 5.18%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You cover both the chart and the table, and your overview identifies the main contrast: most export categories rose, while gems and jewellery fell. You also correctly note that textiles had the largest percentage increase and report the table’s percentage changes accurately. Some details, however, are unclear or inconsistent with the chart: you call petroleum the highest and textiles the lowest, although textiles had the lowest earnings in 2015 but not in 2016, when agricultural products and textiles were approximately equal. You also give agricultural exports as $33 billion in 2016, compared with the chart’s approximate $31.5 billion. Select the key comparisons more precisely and distinguish earnings levels from percentage changes.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the chart and table. This makes the information generally easy to locate. However, progression within the overview is weakened by repetition: the fall in gems and jewellery is stated twice, and the claim that textiles were the lowest is not clearly tied to a particular year. Linking phrases such as “Looking at the bar graph” and “Looking at the table” are useful but somewhat mechanical, while punctuation after introductory phrases is inconsistent. Group the main trends in the overview, then present the figures in a clear order, using concise links such as “By contrast” only where they clarify a comparison.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant task vocabulary, including “export earnings,” “percentage change,” “increased,” and “declined,” and the category names are mostly clear. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which limits precision: “rate of … export earnings” does not describe the values shown, “proportion of change” is less suitable than “percentage change,” and “showed highest trend” is unclear. There is also a spelling error in “Agricultureal.” Aim for natural chart-reporting phrases and use “earnings” or “value” consistently when describing dollar amounts. More precise vocabulary would help distinguish the highest export value from the largest percentage increase.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the contrast introduced by “While” and “In contrast,” and your meaning is generally understandable. Some errors in agreement, sentence structure, articles, and punctuation remain. For example, “earnings … was increased” should use a plural verb and a more suitable active construction, while “all categories was increased” has the same agreement problem. The opening “While the table provides…” is a dependent clause presented as a complete sentence. Capitalisation after commas is also inconsistent, as in “Looking at the bar graph, In 2015.” Work on complete sentence construction, subject–verb agreement, and consistent punctuation; these corrections would make your comparisons easier to follow.
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