Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph presents information about the number of jobs in four categories of the US economy in 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs in each sector including manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare has been changed throughout the given period.

The agriculture industry has 5 million jobs in 1960 but as the years passed it gradually decreased to 2.5 million by 1980 and it stayed the same till 2020.The healthcare sector has above 5 million jobs in 1960 and has grown to 10 million within 2 decades, by the end of 2020 it reached 15 million and it remained the same till 2020.

The retail sector has also started with 5 million in 1960 but consistently increased to 15 million within 4 decades and it continued with 16 million by 2020.The manufacturing sector has been the super power from 1960 itself by providing oppurtunities with 15 million then it has seen a growth of 20 m

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to complete the task as it ends abruptly mid-sentence. While it identifies the main features of the four sectors, the analysis is incomplete because the manufacturing sector data is cut off and the overall comparison is not finished. The overview is present but lacks depth. To improve, ensure you provide a complete summary of all data points and a clear, synthesised conclusion. The current response is unfinished, which significantly impacts the ability to fully address the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the abrupt ending disrupts the logical flow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall' and 'as the years passed', but they are somewhat mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a concluding sentence or a cohesive final thought makes the structure feel incomplete. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas between sentences and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, finished structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. Phrases like 'super power' are informal and not appropriate for an academic report. There are also minor errors, such as 'oppurtunities' (spelling) and 'has been changed' (incorrect passive voice usage). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant surge'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'The agriculture industry has 5 million jobs' (should be past tense 'had') and 'it remained the same till 2020' (repetitive). The sentence structure is often basic, and the tense usage is inconsistent when describing historical data. To improve, focus on maintaining consistent past tense for historical data and proofread for subject-verb agreement and punctuation errors.

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.