Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14

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 chart illustrates the data on the varieties of jobs in four areas of teh economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, healthcare and retail jobs showed a significant increase throughout the year. Whilst healthcare and retail rose manufacturing and agriculture drastically decreased.

In the year 1960, 1980 and 2020 manufacturing had the most number of jobs respectively but in the year 2020 it declined to around 14 million from 16 million. Agriculture was the least in order of jobs it was slightly above healthcare in 1960 about 6 million but slignificantly decreased throughout the period to 2 million.

Healthcare and retail jobs were the lowest in 1960 around 3 million and slighlty above 5 million respectivetly. In the upcoming year both jobs kept increasing in all years and in the year 2020 these jobs were on the same s

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. Furthermore, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('these jobs were on the same s'). While you have identified the main trends—the growth in healthcare/retail and the decline in manufacturing/agriculture—the analysis is under-developed due to the unfinished nature of the text. To improve, ensure you provide a complete overview and sufficient supporting data for all categories mentioned. The lack of a conclusion and the incomplete final sentence prevent a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete final paragraph. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall' and 'Whilst', but the flow is disrupted by the abrupt ending. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'throughout the year', which is imprecise when describing a 60-year period. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect your comparisons more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors, such as 'teh' instead of 'the' and 'slignificantly' instead of 'significantly'. You rely on basic descriptors like 'most number of jobs' and 'least in order of jobs', which could be expressed more naturally. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure you proofread for basic spelling mistakes. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'manufacturing had the most number of jobs respectively' (which is logically confusing) and 'slighlty above 5 million respectivetly'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly regarding the use of commas in complex sentences. The unfinished sentence at the end makes it impossible to assess your control over complex structures fully. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentences are complete and grammatically sound before moving on to more complex forms.

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

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