Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04
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 delineates the changes in the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020, illustrating the overall trends throughout the given period.
A comprehensive overview reveals that healthcare and agriculture moved in broadly opposite directions over the period, with healthcare ending considerably higher than agriculture by year 2020, despite starting from a different position in 1960.
In 1960, retail stood at 6 million, while manufacturing was at 15. Over the following years, retail rose to 16 million in 2020, whereas manufacturing fell 13 million over the same period, widening the gap between the two.
The most notable shift occurred in 2020, when healthcare rose to 16 million, its highest point in the period, while retail in contrast also moved to 16 million. From 1960 onwards, agriculture continued to fell at around 3 million, consistently lower than retail, which rose to finish at 16 million by year 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview of the main trends and identifies key features, such as the contrasting trajectories of the sectors. However, the data reporting is inconsistent. For instance, stating that manufacturing 'fell 13 million' is inaccurate based on the provided graph, and the claim that agriculture 'continued to fell' is grammatically incorrect and lacks precision. While the main features are highlighted, the analysis of the data points is occasionally imprecise, which prevents a higher score. The response covers all four sectors, but the comparison between them could be more detailed to fully satisfy the requirements for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'in contrast', and 'while' helps to link ideas effectively. However, the progression within the final paragraph is slightly disjointed, and the referencing of data points could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the specific data analysis. Overall, the flow of information is easy to follow, though the mechanical nature of some transitions keeps it from reaching the higher bands.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at academic phrasing like 'delineates', 'comprehensive overview', and 'widening the gap'. However, there are instances of word-choice errors, such as 'continued to fell', where the verb form is incorrect. The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a band 7.0 or higher. The repetition of '16 million' and '2020' is noticeable, suggesting a need for more varied ways to describe numerical data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are recurring grammatical errors, most notably 'agriculture continued to fell', which should be 'continued to fall'. Additionally, the phrasing 'manufacturing was at 15' lacks the unit of measurement, and the sentence structure in the final paragraph is slightly awkward. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures would be needed for a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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