Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11

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 graph illustrates the four sectors in Employment of the economy in the United State.

The graph shows that Healthcare and Retail experience consisted increase over the period of 60 years. Manufacturing initially showed the highest about 15 million jobs in year 1960 but Agriculture has lowest about 2.5 million jobs and Retail and Healthcare became universal.

In contrast, Manufacturing showed the decline to 17 million in year 2000 after an increase to about 20 million in 1980. Agriculture showed continuous increase from 2.5 million to 15.5 million in 2020

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

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 some trends, the analysis is incomplete and lacks a clear overview of the main features. Several key data points are missing, and the description of the trends is too brief to provide a comprehensive summary. To improve, you must ensure all four sectors are described in sufficient detail, including clear comparisons between them, and provide a distinct overview paragraph that highlights the most significant trends observed over the 60-year period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is very short, which limits the ability to demonstrate effective paragraphing or the use of cohesive devices. While there is a basic attempt to structure the information into two paragraphs, the progression of ideas is disjointed. The use of linking words is minimal, and the connection between sentences is often mechanical. To improve, you should use a wider range of cohesive devices (e.g., 'furthermore', 'in contrast', 'subsequently') to link your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, logical focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms such as 'increase' and 'showed' throughout the text. There are also inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'Retail and Healthcare became universal,' which does not accurately describe the data. To reach a higher band, you need to use a more varied range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a sharp rise'. Focusing on precise terminology related to data description will help improve your score significantly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'in Employment of the economy' is awkward phrasing, and 'Manufacturing initially showed the highest about 15 million' is grammatically incorrect. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the control over basic grammar is inconsistent. To improve, focus on sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that prepositions are used correctly. Practicing the use of complex sentences, such as using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions, will help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.