Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10

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 number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs for most of the period, although it declined considerably after 1980. In contrast, employment in healthcare and retail increased substantially, while agriculture experienced an overall decrease.

In 1960, manufacturing employed around 15 million people, compared with approximately 6 million in retail and 2 million in healthcare. Agriculture stood at about 5 million. By 1980, manufacturing had reached a peak of 20 million jobs, while retail rose to 10 million and healthcare to 5 million. Meanwhile, agriculture fell to around 3 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 111 words long. While the overview is clear and the main features are identified, the under-length nature of the response means that the final period (1980–2020) is completely ignored. This results in a failure to report on the full scope of the data provided in the graph. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure that all parts of the task are addressed, including a full description of the trends up to the final year, which is essential for a complete summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'Meanwhile' are used effectively to link ideas and provide a smooth flow. However, because the response is incomplete and lacks a final paragraph to cover the latter half of the data, the overall progression is truncated. The paragraphing is appropriate for the length provided, but the lack of development prevents a higher score in this category.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task. You demonstrate a good grasp of topic-specific language such as 'illustrates', 'declined considerably', 'increased substantially', and 'peak'. These choices are accurate and help convey the trends effectively. However, the range is somewhat limited due to the brevity of the text. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and perhaps more sophisticated descriptors for the degree of change, such as 'marginal' or 'dramatic', to demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. For example, the use of 'although it declined' and 'compared with' shows a good command of subordinating and comparative structures. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. However, the range of structures is limited by the short length of the response. To reach a higher band, you should aim to include a greater variety of complex sentence forms, such as passive voice or participle clauses, while maintaining the high level of accuracy shown here.

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

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