Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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 Given Graph lines illustrate the economic track of job sectors such as Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcare. Since 1960, the units have been measured in numbers and years.

To begin with, manufacturing had 15 million jobs in the year 1960, with a spike of 5 million within 2 decades. However, there was a drop of 3 million every 2 decades; by 2020, it recorded 14 million jobs. In addition to this, the lowest job growth was in Agriculture, starting with 5.5 million in the year 1960, with a sustained drop to 2 million by 2020.

On the other hand, Healthcare and retail have shown considerable growth. They started with 2 and 5.5 million jobs and continued to grow by 5 million every 2 decades; by the end of 2020 they were equal economic status.

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. While you have identified the four sectors and provided some data points, the analysis is incomplete. You have not provided a clear overview of the main trends, which is a requirement for a high band score in Task 1. Furthermore, the description of the data is somewhat mechanical and lacks the necessary depth to fully compare the sectors. To improve, ensure you include a clear introductory summary of the overall trends and expand your analysis to meet the length requirement, ensuring all key features are highlighted.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'On the other hand'. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat limited due to the brevity of the text. The transition between the description of manufacturing and agriculture is abrupt. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph flows logically into the next, perhaps by grouping sectors with similar trends together rather than listing them individually.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'economic track', 'spike', and 'sustained drop'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'economic status' are used slightly inaccurately in the context of the graph. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant surge'. Avoid repeating simple structures and try to use more sophisticated collocations to describe the trends shown in the graph.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'The Given Graph lines illustrate' (unnecessary capitalization) and 'they were equal economic status' (missing preposition). The sentence structure is functional but lacks the variety required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using a wider range of complex grammatical structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, and ensure that your subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are consistently accurate.

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.