Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-07

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)

This chart shows the number of jobs in your sectors of the economy in the US from [redacted phone]. The manufacturing industry recorded the highest job while Agricultural industry recorded the lowest job.

The job market in this industries has been fluctuating. in 1960, manufacturing has the highest job recording 15 million while healthcare has the lowest job. Healthcare and retail job offers kept growing over the years unlike manufacturing and agriculture that jobs kept reducing over the years.

In 1960 Agriculture recorded 5.1million, in 1980 it became less than 5 million and in 2020 it became so low that it was known as the lowest job market.

Healthcare went from being below 5 million in 1960 to growing to over 15million in 2020 this Simply means there is high employment rate in the healthcare system. Manufacturing started strongly with 15 million jobs in 1960 and became below 15m in 2020.

This shows that different industry has different number of employments or jobs available due to how demanding or how versatile that particular industry is

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a general overview of the trends, but it lacks precision in reporting data. While you identify the main features, such as the growth in healthcare and the decline in agriculture, the descriptions are often vague (e.g., 'became so low' or 'started strongly'). To improve, you must include more specific data points from the graph to support your observations. Additionally, the final sentence offers an opinion on why the trends occurred, which is not required for an Academic Task 1 report; focus strictly on describing the information presented in the graph rather than speculating on the causes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between sentences often feels repetitive, and the connection between ideas could be smoother. The use of 'this Simply means' is informal and does not effectively link the data to the analysis. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider range of linking words and phrases to connect your sentences and paragraphs more naturally, ensuring that the progression of information is logical throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. You rely on basic terms like 'highest job' and 'lowest job' repeatedly, which is imprecise; 'job' is a noun, not a measurement. Using terms like 'employment figures' or 'number of jobs' would be more accurate. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'your sectors' instead of 'four sectors'. To improve, focus on using more varied and precise vocabulary related to trends, such as 'upward trajectory', 'significant decline', or 'fluctuated'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally hinder clarity. For instance, there are issues with subject-verb agreement ('manufacturing has the highest job') and missing articles ('in 1960 Agriculture recorded'). Additionally, the lack of proper capitalisation and punctuation in some areas makes the text feel less professional. To improve, focus on ensuring consistent verb tenses when describing past trends and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, such as pluralisation and article usage.

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

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