Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19

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 illustrates information about the number of jobs in US from 1960 to 2020 in four sectors such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare.

Overall, in the economy in United States, retail and healthcare showed an increasing number of jobs in millions for the past six decades, while agriculture and manufacturing showed a decreasing figure.

The number of jobs for healthcare system in the United States escalated over the years, starting from 2 million in 1960, 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and 15 million in 2020. Following is the number of retail jobs that started from 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, furthermore from 2000 to 2020 the number of jobs remained at 15 million.

While agriculture in 1960 showed a decreasing figure of

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 score. Furthermore, the essay is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence while discussing the agriculture sector. While you successfully identified the main trends (increasing vs. decreasing sectors) and provided some data points, the analysis is cut short, preventing a full overview of all categories. To improve, ensure you complete the entire task, including a summary of all data points and a concluding synthesis. The current lack of completion means the task is only partially addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs, which provides a basic logical structure. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the flow and cohesion of the response. You used some cohesive devices like 'while', 'furthermore', and 'following is', but the transition between the data points is somewhat mechanical. To reach a higher band, ensure that your paragraphs are balanced and that your ideas flow smoothly to a logical conclusion. The incomplete nature of the final paragraph makes it difficult to assess the overall progression of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'escalated', 'decreasing figure', and 'remained at'. These are appropriate for a task of this nature. However, there is some repetition of the word 'number' and 'jobs'. To improve, try to vary your vocabulary by using synonyms like 'employment levels', 'workforce figures', or 'positions'. The vocabulary is generally accurate, but the limited length prevents the demonstration of a wider, more sophisticated range of lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor grammatical issues, such as 'in the economy in United States' (should be 'in the US economy') and 'Following is the number of retail jobs' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of complex structures with greater precision and ensure articles and prepositions are used correctly.

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

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