Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-13

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 shows the amount of jobs, measured in millions, across four sectors in the United States economy over six decades, between 1960 to 2020.

Overall, there has been a considerable increase in job creation across three sectors over the period, with manufacturing showing the highest trend despite a slight fall. Interestingly, the health industry contributed some from the start, but has since then been declining towards the end of the decade.

In 1960, the manufacturing industry started from 15 million, peaked in 1980 at 20 million, but declined gradually to about 13 million in 2020. Both retail and agricultural sectors showed a continous upward trend. In 1990, retail started with about 6 million while agriculture had about 3 million, they rose throughout and peaked equally at just above15 million in 2020.

However, the health sector declined from about 6millionin 1960 to 3 million in 1980 and finally to the end of thedecade

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides a general overview and identifies some key trends, but it fails to accurately report the data. For instance, the claim that the health industry was 'declining' is incorrect based on the provided graph, and the statement that retail and agriculture 'peaked equally' is not supported by the visual data. Furthermore, the final sentence is incomplete, leaving the description of the health sector unfinished. While the main features are attempted, the inaccuracies in data interpretation and the incomplete conclusion prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure that every trend described is verified against the graph and that all sentences are fully formed.

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 confusing. For example, the transition 'Interestingly' is used to introduce a point that is factually incorrect based on the graph. The final paragraph is incomplete, which disrupts the logical flow of the response. To improve, focus on using transition words more effectively to link ideas and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, complete conclusion that relates back to the data provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'considerable increase', 'job creation', and 'upward trend' used appropriately. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'contributed some' and 'peaked equally'. There are also minor errors in spacing, such as '6millionin' and 'thedecade'. To reach a higher band, aim to use more precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'surpassed', and ensure careful proofreading to avoid basic typographical errors that distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the amount of jobs' (should be 'number of jobs'), 'between 1960 to 2020' (should be 'between 1960 and 2020'), and the incomplete final sentence. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with missing spaces after numbers and at the end of sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors occur throughout the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that all sentences are grammatically complete before moving on.

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

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