Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15
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 4.5)
The South West airport had some changes after its redevelopment. The departures area was modified to have a bag drop service, along with a cafe and check-in module that were already there before the redevelopment. However, both the cafe and the check-in module changed place to make room for the bag drop. After going through security passport control, passengers and airport staff will be able to purchase stuff at the new stores before their flight. After doing some shopping, the boarding gates wait ahead. There are now 18 gates, which were 8 before the redevelopment. For this reason, the walkaway installed between the gates has been replaced for a sky train, which will be able to transport people along the different gates. But if you're not leaving the South West airport, you'll be glad to know the arrivals area has also been redeveloped. After going through passport control customs, passengers and airport staff will be able to hire different services. This area was empty before the redevelopment, but now it has an ATM, a cafe and a car hire service that will gladly take you to your destination.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 1.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0
The response is completely off-topic. The task instructions and the prompt clearly require a summary of a graph showing job trends in four economic sectors in the US between 1960 and 2020. Instead, the student has written a description of an airport redevelopment plan. Because the student failed to address the actual prompt provided, the task achievement score is severely impacted. There is no attempt to report on the data, trends, or comparisons required by the task. Consequently, the response fails to meet the basic requirements of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
Despite being off-topic, the text itself is written in a coherent manner. The student uses logical sequencing to describe the airport layout, moving from the departures area to the boarding gates and finally the arrivals area. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'After', 'For this reason', and 'But if you're not' are used to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is present, though the text would benefit from being split into more distinct sections. The flow of information is logical and easy to follow, even though the content does not match the task requirements.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task of describing a process or a layout. The student uses specific terms such as 'redevelopment', 'check-in module', 'passport control', and 'walkaway'. While the range is not particularly sophisticated or academic, it is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly. There are no significant spelling errors, and word choice is generally appropriate for the context of describing an airport. However, the vocabulary is not relevant to the economic data requested in the prompt.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a good command of basic grammar, and the majority of sentences are clear and error-free. Examples like 'After going through security passport control, passengers and airport staff will be able to purchase stuff' show a reasonable grasp of complex sentence construction. While there are minor issues with phrasing, such as 'changed place' instead of 'changed locations' or 'walkaway' instead of 'walkway', these errors do not impede communication. The grammar is functional and generally accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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