Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-27

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 assigned line chart illustrates information about the average of jobs in different four sectors of the economy in the US during 1960 and 2020.

Evidently, approximately 15 millions people were interested in the sector of manufacturing in 1960, however, there was a sharp increase in the numbers and attained the pinnacle of 20 million in 1980. There was a considerable decline was wittnesed from 1980 to 2020. In the filed of retail, approximately 6 million of individuals were preferred to jobs in initial year, interestingly, a sharp increase was noticed from 1960 to 2020 and reached at the peak of 16 millions

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Furthermore, the content is incomplete; you only described two of the four sectors (manufacturing and retail), failing to report on the remaining sectors or provide a meaningful overview of the trends. The task requires a summary of the main features and comparisons across all categories. Because the response is under-length and omits half of the data provided in the graph, it does not adequately address the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is too brief to demonstrate a clear logical progression or effective paragraphing. While there is a basic attempt to sequence information using transition words like 'Evidently' and 'however', the lack of a proper introduction and a clear overview makes the structure feel disjointed. Cohesive devices are used in a somewhat mechanical way, and the overall arrangement is insufficient to guide the reader through the data effectively. To improve, ensure you include a clear overview paragraph and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your observations.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'interested in the sector' and 'preferred to jobs', which are not natural collocations in this context. There are also errors in word choice and form, such as '15 millions people' (should be '15 million people') and 'filed' (likely a typo for 'field'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey basic meaning, it lacks the precision and range required for higher band scores. Focus on using more academic terminology related to trends and economic sectors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that hinder clarity. For example, 'there was a considerable decline was wittnesed' contains a double verb structure, and 'reached at the peak' is an incorrect prepositional usage. The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic sentence construction and the limited variety of structures prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and avoiding redundant phrasing.

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

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