Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-05

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 illustrates the employment in four various categories of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the total number of jobs increased over this period. The Manufacturing sector, with the highest number of jobs at the start, showed a decline in 2020. Although Healthcare sector that had least employment in 1960, experienced a gradual growth, the highest among the others.

The Manufacturing sector which initially had 15 million jobs, peaked to 20 million in 1980, and faced a gradual decline attaining approximately 12 million works in 2020. Similarly, the Agricultural sector, which had nearly 5 million jobs in the beginning, fell around 3 million works over a decade, and plateaued at this level the next two decades.

In addition, both the Retail and Healthcare sector showed a gradual growth over this period, which initially had around approximately 5 million and nearly 2 million jobs respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends, such as the growth in Healthcare and the decline in Manufacturing. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. For instance, the description of the Retail and Healthcare sectors is brief and lacks specific data points for the end of the period (2020), which is necessary for a full comparison. While the main features are highlighted, the overview could be more comprehensive by contrasting the overall trajectories of all four sectors more clearly. The data points provided are generally accurate, but the lack of detail in the final paragraph prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Similarly', and 'In addition' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group the sectors. However, the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the final paragraph where the comparison between the two sectors could be more clearly signposted. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the information is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'plateaued', 'gradual growth', and 'peaked' used correctly. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as '12 million works' instead of '12 million jobs' and 'four various categories' which is redundant. The use of 'around approximately' is a tautology, as both words convey the same meaning. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology and avoid repetitive or redundant phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Although Healthcare sector that had least employment' (missing articles and incorrect clause structure) and 'fell around 3 million works over a decade' (unclear preposition usage). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure in the second paragraph is slightly clunky. Focusing on article usage and consistent verb tense will improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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