Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-16

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)

This graph shares data about the US economy in four different sectors which include manufacturing, retail, agriculture, healthcare. The timeline of the data goes from the 1960 to 2020. The X axis represents the year and the Y axis represents the jobs.

The data shows that for healthcare, the further it gets close to 2020, the more jobs was created. It was the sector with the biggest growth out of the four.

As for agriculture and retail, while they start at the same number of jobs, they go to different directions. The numbers of jobs in agriculture lowers and stays mostly the same throughout the years after 1980, while retail has seen a more rapidly rise than the latter.

Manufacturing on the other end, peaked with the number of jobs during 1980 and started to drop afterwards steadily.

It looks like agriculture will mostly stay the same after 2020 based on the previous dates. Healthcare seems to be the one that will continue to rise the most while retail will continue at a slower pace. As for manufacturing, it seems like it'll keep dropping further down.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all four sectors and provides a general overview of the trends. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the main trends, you lack specific data points (e.g., approximate numbers or years) to support your claims, which is essential for Task 1. Furthermore, the final paragraph includes speculation about future trends ('It looks like agriculture will mostly stay the same after 2020'), which is not supported by the provided graph and is generally discouraged in IELTS Academic Task 1. To improve, focus on reporting the data provided rather than predicting the future.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and sometimes repetitive. Phrases like 'As for' are used twice in quick succession, and the transition between ideas could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow feels a bit mechanical. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects well to the previous one.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. You rely on simple verbs like 'shares', 'goes', and 'lowers'. There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'more rapidly rise' (should be 'a more rapid rise'). To improve, incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', 'surpassed', or 'a significant decline'. Using a broader range of descriptive adjectives and adverbs would also enhance the quality of your report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'the more jobs was created' should be 'the more jobs were created', and 'the further it gets close to 2020' is awkward phrasing. Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focus on proofreading for basic agreement and tense consistency.

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

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