Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12

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)

The line graph given information by number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the United State in 1960 to 2020. The primary feature of the image is manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare. Furthermore, some information about on the x axis shows year and on the y axis is also given jobs in millions. Moreover, some details about retail and healthcare increase in every year and is given. The highest value is manufacturing in 20 millions jobs and the lowest value is agriculture in 2020. Overall the image gives information about number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US.

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 score. The content is very brief and lacks a detailed analysis of the data. While you identify the four sectors, you do not provide a clear overview of the trends or make meaningful comparisons between the sectors over the 60-year period. The description of the data is superficial, focusing on isolated points rather than the overall trajectory of the graph. To improve, you must describe the trends (increases, decreases, or stability) for each sector and highlight the most significant changes or differences between them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is very short, consisting of only one paragraph, which makes it difficult to demonstrate effective paragraphing or logical progression. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover', they are used mechanically and do not effectively link ideas to create a coherent narrative. The structure is repetitive, and the flow of information is disjointed. To achieve a higher score, you should organize your report into a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group related information together, using a wider range of cohesive devices to connect your sentences and ideas logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms such as 'information', 'image', and 'value' throughout the text. There is little attempt to use academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained steady', 'peaked', or 'declined'. The phrasing 'given information by number of jobs' is unnatural and inaccurate. To improve, you should focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary for describing graphs and charts, and try to vary your word choices to avoid repetition and demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that hinder clarity. For example, 'The line graph given information by number of jobs' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'The line graph provides information about the number of jobs'. There are also issues with prepositions and article usage, such as 'in 20 millions jobs' and 'in every year'. The sentence structures are simple and lack the complexity required for higher bands. You should focus on using a mix of simple and complex sentence structures and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and correct prepositional phrases.

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

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