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 illustrates the information about the

job market of US in four different sectors (manufacturing, retail ,agriculture ,and healthcare) from 1960 to 2020.

Overall ,it is evident that manufacturing sector increased significantly over the period and recorded the highest trend while the agriculture sector experienced a downward trend.

In 1960 , the manufacturing job market was flrushing the economy of the US and provided 15 million of jobs which rose to 20 million in 1980 but this figure decreased steadily in the final year to 13 million. Additionally the retail sector increased sharply from 6 million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020 followed by the healthcare jobs which rose from 2 million in 1960 to 17 million in the final year .

In contrast jobs in the agriculture market decreased over the period.

Initially from 6 million in 1960 it fell steadily to 4 million in 1980 and likewise in 2020 it was about 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends, such as the growth in healthcare and retail versus the decline in agriculture. However, the overview is slightly inaccurate; stating the manufacturing sector 'recorded the highest trend' is vague and potentially misleading, as healthcare ends at a higher point. Additionally, the data interpretation for manufacturing is inconsistent with the graph, which shows a peak around 1980 followed by a decline, but the description of it 'flourishing' is subjective rather than analytical. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited more precisely and that the overview captures the most significant long-term shifts rather than just general directions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Additionally', and 'Initially' helps to guide the reader through the information. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, and some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by varying the structure of the opening clauses. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'downward trend', 'sharply', and 'steadily' used appropriately. However, there are some issues with word choice and spelling, such as 'flrushing' (flourishing) and the awkward phrasing '15 million of jobs'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to data trends, such as 'experienced a significant decline' or 'reached a peak of', and ensure careful proofreading to eliminate spelling errors that distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with punctuation (e.g., spacing before commas) and article usage (e.g., 'the manufacturing sector' vs 'manufacturing sector'). Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'the manufacturing job market was flrushing the economy of the US'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement would enhance the grammatical quality of the writing.

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

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