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)

The line graph shows the infromation about four economic sector jobs in US from 1960 to 2020.

overall, jobs in Healthcare and Rtail have increased but in the fields of Manufacturing and Agriulture they have dereased over the years.

Healthcare and Retail secctors have inreased number of jobs every passing year, speificcally in 1960 jobs started at 0.2 millions and kept on increasing to 0.5 million in the year 1980, the sudden increase appeared from 1980 to 2000 where more jobs were allocated making the number upto 11 million

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully address the task. While you have identified the main trends (increases in Healthcare/Retail and decreases in Manufacturing/Agriculture), the analysis is incomplete. You have only described one sector in detail and failed to provide a comprehensive overview of all four sectors or make sufficient comparisons between them. To improve, you must ensure all data points are covered and the response length is sufficient to allow for a full summary of the provided information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is too brief to demonstrate a clear logical progression or effective paragraphing. While there is a basic attempt at an introduction and an overview, the lack of development makes the overall structure feel fragmented. Cohesive devices are largely absent, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraph is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you should use clear paragraph breaks and a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', 'Consequently') to guide the reader through your analysis of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and contains several spelling errors, such as 'infromation', 'Rtail', 'Agriulture', 'secctors', and 'speificcally'. These errors are frequent and distract from the content. The range of vocabulary is basic, relying on simple verbs like 'increased' and 'decreased'. To improve, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a sharp decline', and ensure you proofread your work to eliminate basic spelling mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in US') and incorrect verb forms ('jobs... have inreased number'). The sentence structures are simple and repetitive. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which are necessary for higher band scores. To improve, you should practice using a variety of sentence types, including subordinate clauses and passive voice, and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Proofreading for basic punctuation and capitalization is also essential.

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