Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Task-I

The provided multi-line chart depicts the information about number of job vaccancies available in manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare sectors in united State within the time frame of six decades.

Overall, it is crystal clear that Retail sector and Healthcare shows on upward trend. However, manufacturing rose gradually, before falling.

At the first glance, it can be notable that Employment figures in Manufacturing stood out 15 million initially, before increasing further to 20 million in 1980. In the next year it dropped gradually to 13 million in 2020. By contrast Healthcare sector had only 2 million positions which was lowest among other industries. While it surged to approximately 16 million in the last year.

Moving further, In 1960, Retail and Agriculture had same number of job position, whereas in 1980 it was diverged into different directions. Retail sector climbed to 16 million whereas Agriculture sector decreased to 1 million

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all four sectors and identifies key trends. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of the manufacturing sector is slightly inaccurate regarding the timeline, and the comparison between sectors could be more detailed. While the main features are highlighted, the overview is a bit brief and lacks a clear synthesis of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurately reflected and that the comparison between the sectors is more analytical rather than just listing figures. The response meets the minimum length requirement, which allows for a more comprehensive summary of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'At the first glance', and 'By contrast'. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'Moving further'. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved to create a smoother narrative. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the progression of ideas between sentences is more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'upward trend', 'surged', and 'diverged' being used correctly. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'vaccancies' (vacancies) and 'united State' (United States). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of key terms related to the topic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Retail sector and Healthcare shows' (subject-verb agreement), 'stood out 15 million' (preposition error), and 'it was diverged' (passive voice misuse). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and the appropriate use of passive versus active voice in describing data trends.

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

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