Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-08

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 graph is providing information about number of jobs present in four sectors of economy including, manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, manufacturing is the one of the sector which shows the high impact in the economy and providing million jobs to people in US, however, retail and agriculture is being increased in almost at same period in addition ,healthcare slightly decreased.

In 1960, manufacturing sector was providing jobs to 15 million of people and rose directly to peak in the year 1980 for almost 20 million however, it fell down in just four years for about 13 million in 2020, whereas, the employment and agriculture sector both was at the 5 million jobs in US while, employment grew up through out the period and reached to 14 million in 2020, significantly, agriculture dropped just under 3 million.

Agriculture was a sector which started from almost jobs of 2 million in 1960 compared with 1980, it made a rapid increased in the economy by providing around 5 million jobs moreover, it rose to its peak of 16 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to accurately report the main features. There are significant factual inaccuracies; for example, the text claims agriculture reached 16 million jobs in 2020, which contradicts the provided graph. Furthermore, the overview is confusing and contradictory, stating that manufacturing had a 'high impact' while simultaneously misinterpreting the trends of the other sectors. The data selection is inconsistent, and the lack of precision in reporting the figures makes it difficult for the reader to follow the trends. To improve, you must ensure that your summary strictly reflects the data shown in the graph and provides a clear, accurate overview of the key trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as the awkward transition 'significantly, agriculture dropped' and the repetitive use of 'moreover' and 'however'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which sector is being discussed. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks coherence, particularly in the final paragraph where the data points are presented in a confusing manner. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear focus would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'rose directly to peak' instead of 'reached a peak' and 'made a rapid increased' instead of 'a rapid increase'. The phrasing is often unnatural, which hinders the clarity of the report. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'surpassed') and ensure that your word forms are grammatically correct. Expanding your vocabulary to include more varied descriptors for data changes will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a high frequency of grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'retail and agriculture is being increased'), article usage (e.g., 'in US'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are poorly constructed, leading to confusion about the intended meaning. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, they are often faulty, resulting in errors that affect the overall clarity. Focusing on basic sentence construction, correct verb tenses, and consistent subject-verb agreement will be essential for improving your grammatical accuracy.

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