Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-01

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below gives information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US, 1960-2020

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Here the line graph shows different type of jobs in four sectors in the us economy from 5 decades.

Overall,there are four different sectors which are:-Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare. in manufacturing sectors million of jobs in this sector in other side agriculture sector has less number of jobs.

A glance and the line graph shows that in 1960 Retail sector and Agriculture sector these both sectors has a same number of jobs and these are around 6 million. But these both line graph shows different type of rise and fall. In health care the graph shows stedy decreases till 2020. In contrast, the retail sector had a gradualy increase in the graph to the beginning.

The healthcare sectors shows slowly start in this graph but they had suddenly show increase and at the end they had a similar number of jobs with retail sector. The manufacturing graph shows increase in starting but after 1980 the graph was suddenly decrease.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response attempts to summarize the graph, but it fails to accurately report the data. The descriptions of the trends are often contradictory or incorrect based on the provided graph (e.g., stating healthcare shows a 'steady decrease' when it actually shows a significant increase). The overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the main trends. While the response identifies the four sectors, the failure to correctly interpret the data points and trends significantly impacts the task achievement. To improve, focus on accurately describing the starting and ending points and the overall direction of each line.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by inaccurate information and awkward phrasing. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast' and 'Overall', but they are sometimes applied incorrectly or in a mechanical way. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between sectors. The structure is present, but the flow of ideas is disjointed due to the errors in data interpretation. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear focus would enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'stedy decreases' instead of 'steady increase' and 'gradualy increase'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the trends precisely (e.g., using 'increase' or 'decrease' repeatedly). There are also spelling errors that, while not always impeding communication, detract from the overall quality. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate a wider variety of verbs and adverbs to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', or 'remained stable', and ensure accurate spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response relies on simple sentence structures, and there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'these both sectors has'), incorrect article usage, and punctuation errors. There are also errors in tense consistency and word formation (e.g., 'gradualy increase'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar limits the score. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and proofreading for common errors before finalizing your writing.

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