Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30

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)

In the graph there is a comparison of jobs in the four main sectors of the economy in the US in year 1960 and 2020.The four sectors are manufacturing,Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare.

First of all in 1960 the most jobs provided by the manufacturing sector 15 million which is highest in all other sectors and increase UpTo 20 million but after that there is a decline in that sector in jobs and in 2020 this sector provide almost 13 million jobs so there is a decreasing trend with years.

After that in Retail sector in 1960 almost 6 millions provided by this sector and there is a an increasing trend UpTo 16 million in year 2020 a very positive trend in this sector.

Thirdly in agriculture sector in 1960 only almost 3 million jobs provided by this sector which is the lowest in all other sectors but with the passage of time it touches the retail sector 16 million jobs which is also a very good trend in 2020 and finally healthcare sector provide a negative trend from 6 million to 1 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, but the analysis is inaccurate in several places. For example, you state the healthcare sector shows a negative trend from 6 million to 1 million, whereas the graph shows it growing from 1 million to 6 million. Additionally, you claim agriculture reaches 16 million, which is not supported by the data. While you identify the four sectors, the lack of precision in reporting the data points and trends significantly impacts the task achievement. To improve, ensure you carefully verify the data points against the axes before writing your summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is somewhat mechanical. You use transition words like 'First of all', 'After that', and 'Thirdly' to sequence the information, which is helpful. However, the internal structure of the sentences is often repetitive, and the lack of clear linking between the data points makes the progression feel disjointed. To improve, try to group related trends together rather than listing each sector individually, and use a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You frequently use phrases like 'provided by this sector' and 'trend in this sector'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'UpTo' (which should be written as two words) and 'touches the retail sector'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more varied verbs and nouns to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant decline', and avoid repeating the same sentence structures throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in year 1960'), incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'provide' instead of 'provided'), and punctuation errors. The sentence construction is often basic, and the lack of complex structures limits the range. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure you use the past tense consistently when describing historical data. Proofreading for basic errors like missing 'the' or 'a' will also help improve your score.

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

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