Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-06

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 5.0)

This diagram illustrates he information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the manufacturing sectors has the largest number of jobs and agricultural field has the least number of job opportunities , followed by less jobs on other sectors.

From 1960 to 2020, the healthcare sector has the least jobs in 1960 of 3 million and increased to 4 million in 1980 then to 10 million in 2000 and 15 million in 2020. The agricultural sector has 6 million of job opportunities in 1960, 4 million in 1980 and 2000 then decreased to 2 million in 2020.

Secondly, The retail sector is increasing through out the graph of 5 million in the first year, 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 200 then 16 million in 2020. The manufacturing sectors has 15 million jobs available in 1960 then raised to 20 million and decreased throughout the graph about 18 million in 2000 and 13 million at the end of the year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides a general overview and identifies key trends for the four sectors. However, the summary is somewhat inaccurate; for example, the claim that manufacturing had the largest number of jobs throughout the period is contradicted by the data, which shows retail and healthcare overtaking it by 2020. Additionally, the overview is slightly confusing, and some data points are misread or lack precision (e.g., '15 million in 200'). While the main features are addressed, the lack of accurate comparison and the misinterpretation of the data trends prevent a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally misused, such as the transition 'Secondly' to introduce the second body paragraph, which does not logically follow the first. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. The overall progression of ideas is present but could be improved by using a wider range of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends such as 'increased', 'decreased', and 'raised'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'agricultural field' instead of 'agricultural sector' and 'less jobs on other sectors'. The range is limited, and there is some repetition of basic terms. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to data description and ensuring collocations are accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('manufacturing sectors has', 'agricultural sector has... of job opportunities'), incorrect preposition usage, and tense inconsistencies. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around numbers and commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score to the 5.5–6.0 range.

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

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