Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11
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 depicts the information about number of jobs in four major sectors of the economy in the US which are manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare. The time frame which the graph shows is from 1960 to 2020.
From the graph we can depict that the manufacturing sector has at first 15 jobs in the year 1960 and then the number of jobs increased to 20 which happened in the year 1980 and then after that it gradually decreases in the upcoming years and in the year 2020 it shows there are only 13 jobs available in manufacturing sector. The retail sector which has only 6 jobs available in the year 1960 has eventually increased and in the year 2020 it has 16 jobs available which are greater than the manufacturing sector.
The agriculture sector was in decreasing state throughout the timeframe and at last we can see the healthcare sector which is increasing throughout the timeframe.
Overall, the jobs in manufacturing sector was at peak in the year 1960 but after some years we can see that the number of jobs in retail as well as agriculture sector came at peak leaving behind the manufacturing sector.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends. However, the data interpretation is inaccurate; for example, stating the manufacturing sector had '15 jobs' is a misreading of the graph's scale (likely millions). The overview is also factually incorrect, claiming manufacturing peaked in 1960 when the graph shows it peaking later, and stating agriculture peaked alongside retail, which is not supported by the data. The analysis lacks precision and fails to make meaningful comparisons between the sectors, relying on simple descriptions of individual lines rather than synthesizing the information effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While there is an attempt to use cohesive devices like 'From the graph', 'and then', and 'Overall', the flow is often mechanical and repetitive. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the description of individual sectors and the summary is abrupt. The paragraphing is present but does not effectively group the information to highlight the main trends or comparisons, making the overall structure feel somewhat disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'number of jobs' and 'available' are used repeatedly throughout the text. There is little attempt to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', 'surpassed', or 'dramatically'. The word choice is basic and lacks the precision required for an Academic Task 1 response. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of variety and the inability to use more sophisticated terminology to describe economic data limits the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'manufacturing sector has at first 15 jobs' (tense inconsistency) and 'the jobs in manufacturing sector was at peak' (subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with run-on sentences that lack necessary commas. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures, keeping the response within the lower band range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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