Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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)

The line graph illustrates the information about job in four sectors such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture and health care in the united states job market economy over the 60 years.

Focusing on the data, manufacturing sector is showed highest contribution in 1960 which as 15 millions. Whereas, rest of all jobs represented less than 6 millions. in 2010, retailer jobs contribution was doubled form 5 millions to 10 millions. By contrast, health care jobs had declined and represented only 4 millions. In 2000, agriculture related jobs maintained plateau. While, manufacturing jobs plummeted by 3 millions approximately.

Retail and healthcare jobs were continuously rose and reached at 16 millions in 2020. However, manufacturing provided downward trend which was illustrated 13 millions. Less number of Americans interested in agriculture jobs.

Overall, Retail an healthcare jobs were growing continuously. While, agriculture jobs accounted steady rise. Manufacturing jobs fluctuated throughout all years in the us.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, but the analysis is inconsistent and contains factual inaccuracies. For example, you state that retail jobs doubled from 5 to 10 million by 2010, but the data trends are described in a way that is difficult to follow. Furthermore, the summary of the trends is somewhat contradictory, such as claiming healthcare jobs declined while later stating they rose continuously. To improve, ensure that your data points are accurate and that your overview clearly reflects the overall trends without contradicting the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Whereas', 'By contrast', and 'However', they are often used incorrectly or do not effectively link the ideas. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences is disjointed. To improve, focus on using cohesive devices to show clear relationships between data points and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that supports the overall summary.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'jobs', 'contribution', and 'represented'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'retailer jobs contribution' instead of 'retail sector employment' and 'provided downward trend' instead of 'showed a downward trend'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to trends and data, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable', and ensure that your word forms are accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with articles ('the united states', 'the manufacturing sector'), verb tenses ('retail and healthcare jobs were continuously rose'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are awkward, such as 'manufacturing sector is showed highest contribution'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction limits the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when describing past trends.

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.