Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The line graph shows the number of jobs in the manufacturing, retail,agriculture and healthcare sectors in the US from [redacted phone].

Overall, it is evident that the healthcare and retail sector showed a significant increase over the period , whereas manufacturing and agriculture sectors declined.

More specifically, the number of jobs in healthcare sector was 2 millions in 1960 which climbed to 15 millions in 2020. compared to agriculture it showed a dropped from 5 million to 3 millions over the period from 1960 to 2020.

In details , in case of jobs in retail gradually increased from 6 to 20 millions while the manufacturing s

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is significantly under-length at 105 words and remains unfinished. Because the response is incomplete, it cannot fully report the main features or make all necessary comparisons. While the introduction and overview are present, the body paragraphs are underdeveloped and the final sentence is cut off mid-thought. To improve, you must ensure you complete the analysis of all data points provided in the graph and meet the minimum length requirement to allow for a full summary of the information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response uses basic paragraphing and some cohesive devices such as 'Overall' and 'More specifically'. However, the logical flow is interrupted by the abrupt ending of the text. The use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'compared to agriculture it showed a dropped', where the subject reference is slightly awkward. To improve, ensure that your ideas are fully developed within each paragraph and that you use a wider range of cohesive devices to link your sentences and paragraphs more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'significant increase', 'declined', and 'climbed'. However, there are errors in word form and collocation, such as 'showed a dropped' instead of 'showed a drop' and 'in case of jobs in retail' which is unnatural. The range is limited, and the unfinished nature of the response prevents the demonstration of a wider or more sophisticated vocabulary. Focus on using accurate word forms and more precise collocations when describing trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures. There are several grammatical errors, including '2 millions' (should be '2 million'), 'in healthcare sector' (missing article 'the'), and 'in details' (should be 'In detail'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with spaces placed incorrectly before commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors and the lack of a complete sentence structure at the end of the text limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage.

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

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