Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line chart illustrates the number of jobs in four divisions of the economy in the US, between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the two sectors retail and healthcare showed a dramatic growth on the period of time. Whereas, manufacturing and agriculture sectors had a drastic decline over time.

In 1960 healthcare sector had approximately 2 million jobs only compared to the retail sector which had almost 6 million jobs in 1960. However, in 2020 both stand at the same position in chart with approximately 16 million jobs in each sector.

The manufacturing sector of economy eventually grew over 2 decades of time but, after 1980 it had a massive decline in the number of jobs it had and stood a bit low where it started. On the other had agriculture had always been in loss and never rose up in the chart from where it began in 1960 with only 6 million jobs approximately and in 2020 was below 4 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all four sectors and made relevant comparisons, such as noting the convergence of retail and healthcare. However, the analysis of the manufacturing sector is slightly inaccurate; you mentioned it grew over two decades, but the graph shows a decline starting from 1960. Additionally, the description of agriculture as 'always in loss' is imprecise, as the graph tracks the number of jobs, not financial profit. To reach a higher band, ensure your data interpretation is strictly aligned with the visual evidence and use more precise terminology when describing trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into four paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Whereas', and 'Overall' to link sentences. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or misused, such as 'On the other had' (which contains a spelling error) and the awkward phrasing 'on the period of time'. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to create a more natural, sophisticated narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'divisions', 'dramatic growth', and 'drastic decline'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices, such as 'stand at the same position in chart' and 'always been in loss'. While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your report. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and ensure that your vocabulary accurately reflects the nature of the data (e.g., using 'employment figures' instead of 'number of jobs').

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'on the period of time' (should be 'over the period'), 'in 2020 both stand' (tense inconsistency), and 'On the other had' (spelling error). There are also minor issues with article usage and preposition choice. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your points, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.