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)

This line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors in the US between [redacted phone]

In 1960s, manufacturing have a large number of jobs as compared to other jobs . Other jobs remain almost same to each other but after the passage of time Retail and Healthcare jobs arisen. While agriculture jobs remain downward.

At the start of 1960 manufacturing have 15 millions of jobs which were increased to 20 million in 1980.But with the continuity of time manufacturing jobs start decreasing. In 2000 jobs it were approximately 17 million and later on in 2020 it come to around about 14 million.On the other hand Retail jobs where about 6 million in 1960 further more it arise by passage of time and at the end in 2020 secures about 16 million of jobs.

Thus Heathcare jobs are about 2 million in 1960 but they arises in larger number at reaches above 15 million jobs in 2020 same to Retail. While agriculture jobs decrease time by time and ends up on 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends, such as the rise in Healthcare and Retail and the decline in Agriculture. However, the overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends. The data reporting is sometimes inaccurate; for instance, stating that manufacturing jobs were 15 million in 1960 and increased to 20 million in 1980 is not supported by the typical interpretation of such graphs. The response lacks a clear, cohesive overview paragraph, which is essential for a high band score in Academic Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow between sentences is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical or misused (e.g., 'Thus' is used incorrectly to introduce a new point about Healthcare). Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. While there is a basic structure, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive sentence structure hinder the overall flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. There is frequent repetition of basic verbs like 'arisen', 'arises', and 'increased'. Some word choices are unnatural or incorrect, such as 'arisen' used as a transitive verb or 'around about'. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptions of trends, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic terminology to describe the data fluctuations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'manufacturing have', 'jobs arisen') and tense usage (e.g., 'jobs it were'). The sentence structures are predominantly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly regarding spacing after periods and commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of basic errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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