Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph tracks the number of jobs around four sectors of manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in the US economy between 1960 to 2020.

overall, the graph shows that manufacturing has been in highest number, while agriculture being in the receading stage. Retail and Healthcare are increasing rapidly throughout the years.

agriculture starting from 5 millions to declining till almost 3 million from 1960 to 1990 and staying stable until 2000 showing little change by reducing in 2020. on the other hand manufacturing being the higest jobs beginning from 15 millions in 1960 and increasing by 5 millions in 1990, further ahead it had a drastic fall by approximately 8 million till 2020.

Healthcare and Retail maintained a to go up from 1960 to 2020 with approx 4 to 5 millions in each duration and the figures remained increasing each period and reached almost 15 million by 2020 from 3 and 6 millions irrespectively

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have identified the main trends for all four sectors, which is a positive start. However, the response lacks precision in reporting data. For instance, you mention 'approx 4 to 5 millions' for Healthcare and Retail, but the graph shows these sectors starting much lower and ending at 15 million. The description of the manufacturing trend is also slightly inaccurate regarding the peak and the final figures. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference your summary with the specific data points on the axes. You have provided an overview, but it needs to be more accurate to fully satisfy the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. Phrases like 'on the other hand' are used, but the transition between sentences is often abrupt. The lack of clear linking words within paragraphs makes the flow feel disjointed. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') to connect your ideas more fluidly and improve the logical progression of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. You use basic verbs like 'tracks', 'shows', and 'increasing'. There are also some errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'receading' (receding), 'higest' (highest), and 'irrespectively' (respectively). To improve, focus on using more sophisticated reporting verbs and adverbs to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', or 'gradually', and ensure you check your spelling of key terms related to data analysis.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'agriculture starting from 5 millions to declining' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'agriculture started at 5 million and declined'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'in highest number'). To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring that your verb tenses are consistent when describing past data. Proofreading for small errors like pluralisation and missing prepositions will also help.

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