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Cambridge 14 Writing Task 1 Test 2 - Sample Answers (Band 9 to 4-5)
Real band 9, 8, 7 and 6.5 sample answers for this prompt, plus a genuine band 4-5 answer so you can see exactly what pulls a score down. Every sample comes with examiner-style notes on Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.
The Prompt
Export Earnings from Different Sectors in India (2015-2016)
The bar chart below shows the export values in different sectors of India in 2015 and 2016. The table shows the percentage change in each sector.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
The Data
India export earnings by sector, US$ billions (2015 vs 2016) and % change
Petroleum: 60.0 (2015) → 56.9 (2016), -5.18%
Engineered goods: 59.5 (2015) → 60.0 (2016), +0.81%
Gems & jewellery: 42.0 (2015) → 41.5 (2016), -1.23%
Agricultural products: 32.9 (2015) → 37.9 (2016), +15.24%
Textiles: 36.0 (2015) → 36.3 (2016), +0.76%
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182 wordsConnects the bar chart and the percentage table to identify a genuine change in sector ranking, not just isolated figures.
The bar chart and table show export earnings from five sectors of the Indian economy in 2015 and 2016, along with the percentage change in each sector over that year.
Overall, most sectors saw only modest changes between the two years, with two clear exceptions: petroleum exports fell noticeably while agricultural product exports rose sharply, a divergence that caused petroleum to lose its position as India's top-earning export sector.
In 2015, petroleum was the largest export earner at 60.0 billion US dollars, narrowly ahead of engineered goods at 59.5 billion. By 2016, however, petroleum had fallen by 5.18% to 56.9 billion, while engineered goods rose slightly to exactly 60.0 billion, meaning engineered goods overtook petroleum as the top export sector for the first time.
The most dramatic change was in agricultural products, which rose by 15.24%, from 32.9 to 37.9 billion dollars, by far the largest percentage increase of any sector. Gems and jewellery fell slightly, from 42.0 to 41.5 billion, a decrease of 1.23%, while textiles remained almost unchanged, edging up from 36.0 to 36.3 billion, a rise of just 0.76%.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Covers all five sectors across both years and the percentage-change data with a precise overview identifying the genuinely notable feature: engineered goods overtaking petroleum as the top export sector.
Coherence & Cohesion: A clear overview precedes detail organised by scale of change, with cohesive devices ("however", "meaning that") linking the two data sets naturally.
Lexical Resource: Precise, varied language ("divergence", "narrowly ahead", "by far") used accurately throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Wide range of accurate structures, including comparatives, used with full control.
Band 8
154 wordsAccurate and clearly organised, just slightly less analytically framed than a band 9 answer.
The bar chart and table give information about export earnings from five sectors of the Indian economy in 2015 and 2016, and the percentage change for each sector.
Overall, most sectors changed only slightly between the two years, except for petroleum, which fell noticeably, and agricultural products, which rose sharply, a change big enough that petroleum lost its position as the top export sector.
In 2015, petroleum earned the most at 60.0 billion dollars, just ahead of engineered goods at 59.5 billion. In 2016, petroleum fell by 5.18% to 56.9 billion, while engineered goods rose slightly to 60.0 billion, meaning engineered goods became the top sector instead.
The biggest change was in agricultural products, which increased by 15.24%, from 32.9 to 37.9 billion dollars, far more than any other sector. Gems and jewellery decreased slightly, from 42.0 to 41.5 billion, while textiles stayed almost the same, rising only slightly from 36.0 to 36.3 billion.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Covers all five sectors accurately with a clear overview, including the change in top sector, though it is described a little more simply than in the band 9 answer.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised with an overview followed by grouped detail; cohesive devices are accurate throughout.
Lexical Resource: Good range of vocabulary for comparison, though "changed only slightly" is plainer than the higher-band answer's more precise phrasing.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Accurate throughout, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures.
Band 7
174 wordsAll figures are correct, but the overview does not flag the change in which sector earned the most.
The bar chart and table give information about export earnings from five sectors in India in 2015 and 2016.
Overall, most sectors did not change much between the two years, except for petroleum, which went down, and agricultural products, which went up a lot.
In 2015, petroleum earned the most money, at 60.0 billion dollars, just slightly more than engineered goods, at 59.5 billion. In 2016, petroleum went down by 5.18% to 56.9 billion, while engineered goods went up a little to 60.0 billion, so engineered goods became the highest earner instead.
Agricultural products had the biggest increase, going up by 15.24%, from 32.9 to 37.9 billion dollars. Gems and jewellery went down a little, from 42.0 to 41.5 billion, while textiles stayed almost the same, only going up slightly from 36.0 to 36.3 billion. These changes suggest that the Indian government's push to support agricultural exports during this period was having a real effect, while the fall in petroleum exports may have reflected changing global oil prices rather than problems specific to India.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Reports all five sectors' figures accurately with a basic overview, but the overview does not explicitly flag that petroleum lost its position as the top sector, the most notable feature of the data.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised by sector, though figures are listed with fairly plain connecting language throughout.
Lexical Resource: Adequate range for the task; figures are accurate but connecting language stays fairly plain throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Generally accurate, mostly simple sentence structures; meaning is always clear.
Band 6.5
172 wordsThe figures are all correct, but agreement errors appear in almost every sentence.
The bar chart and table give information about export earning from five sector in India in 2015 and 2016.
Overall, most sector did not change much between the two year, except for petroleum, which go down, and agricultural product, which go up a lot.
In 2015, petroleum earn the most money, at 60.0 billion dollar, just slightly more than engineered good, at 59.5 billion. In 2016, petroleum go down by 5.18% to 56.9 billion, while engineered good go up a little to 60.0 billion, so engineered good become the highest earner instead.
Agricultural product have the biggest increase, going up by 15.24%, from 32.9 to 37.9 billion dollar. Gems and jewellery go down a little, from 42.0 to 41.5 billion, while textiles stay almost the same, only going up slightly from 36.0 to 36.3 billion. These change suggest that Indian government push to support agricultural export during this period was having real effect, while the fall in petroleum export may have reflect changing global oil price rather than problem specific to India.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Reports all five sectors' figures accurately, matching the content of the band 7 answer.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised by sector, following the same structure as the higher-band answers.
Lexical Resource: Limited by "sector" and "year" being used without their plural forms throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent subject-verb agreement errors ("table give", "most sector did not change", "petroleum go down", "engineered good go up") appear in nearly every sentence.
Band 4-5 - What to Avoid
44 wordsThree of the five sectors are missing entirely, and it closes with a personal opinion rather than reporting the data.
This chart show export money from India in 2015 and 2016.
Petroleum is biggest but it go down a little. Agriculture go up a lot.
I think India should sell more agriculture product because it grow fast, this is my opinion about this topic.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Three of the five sectors (engineered goods, gems and jewellery, textiles) are never mentioned by name, exact percentage changes are missing throughout, and the closing comment is a personal opinion that has no place in a Task 1 report. At well under 150 words, the response is also underlength.
Coherence & Cohesion: Reads as three short, disconnected remarks rather than an organised comparison across all five sectors.
Lexical Resource: Vague, repetitive vocabulary ("go down a little", "go up a lot") used instead of the specific figures given in the chart and table.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent errors throughout ("chart show", "Petroleum is biggest").
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