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 graph tracks the changes in number of jobs of the Us economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, It is clear that there is a upward trend in retailing and health sector . manufacturing declined sharply while jobs in agriculture remained the least common job.

Healthcare had around 2.5 million jobs in 1990 before increasing sllightly in 1980 with around 5 million jobs. later on, it experienced a significant increase to approximattely 11 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020. while, retailing started with around 6 million jobs in 1960. afterward, it also surged with 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000 before reaching its peak with 16 million in 2020.

likewise, Employees in agriculture was same as retailing in the beginning. however, it went to decrease slightly each year to under 2 million in 2020.Whereas, manufacturimg had the most employees with around 15 million jobs in 1960. It reached its peak on 1980 to 20 million before declining sharply to approximattely 17 million and 14 million in 2000 and 2020 respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided data points to support your descriptions. You covered all four sectors and made relevant comparisons, such as noting that agriculture and retailing started at similar levels. However, there are some inaccuracies in your data reporting; for instance, you state agriculture was the same as retailing in 1960, but the graph shows agriculture was significantly lower. Additionally, your timeline for healthcare is confusing, mentioning 1990 before 1980. To improve, ensure you carefully verify the data points against the graph and maintain a logical chronological flow to avoid confusing the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices like 'overall', 'later on', and 'whereas' to connect ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as starting a sentence with 'while,' or 'likewise' when the comparison is not perfectly aligned. The progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother; for example, the transition between the healthcare and retailing descriptions is abrupt. Improving the variety and precision of your linking words will help your writing flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'upward trend', 'declined sharply', and 'surged'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'approximattely', 'sllightly', and 'manufacturimg', which detract from the professional tone of the report. While your word choice is generally adequate for the task, you rely on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, focus on accuracy in spelling and try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to describe the data, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', or 'marginal decrease'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'Employees in agriculture was same' (should be 'were the same') and 'reached its peak on 1980' (should be 'in 1980'). Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters after a period. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your main points, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and correct prepositional phrases.

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