Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12
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 line graph shows information about the number of jobs in 4 sectors of economy of US namely manufacturing , retail , agriculture and healthcare between 1960 to 2020. Units are measured for jobs in millions.
Overall manufacturing jobs were the most in year 1980 while facing a sharp decline in the year 2020 while agriculture jobs were less in the year 1960 while declining 2x folds in the year 2020 .
Talking about manufacturing jobs were 15 million in the year 1960 while increasing to 20 million in the year 1980 following a rapid decline between 2000 to 2020 while Retail was near 5 million in 1960 but kept on increasing from year 1980 to 2000 but remained steady in the year 2020.
On the other hand , Agriculture and Healthcare , Agriculture was nearly 5 million jobs in 1960 but kept on decreasing from year 1980 till 2020 while healthcare jobs were 2 to 4 million but increased sharply 3 folds from year 1960 to 2020 and reached 15 million in year 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the prompt by reporting information across the four economic sectors, outlining general trends and some specific figures. However, the task achievement is hindered by several inaccurate or incomplete data references. For instance, stating that manufacturing jobs 'were the most in year 1980 while facing a sharp decline in the year 2020' captures part of the trend, but the description of agriculture ('declining 2x folds') is confusing and mathematically imprecise. Furthermore, the selection of main features lacks an overarching synthesis, and some details are vague or repetitive. Overall, the response addresses the task partially, reflecting a Band 5 performance.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into paragraphs, including an introduction and an overview, but the logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions and poor sentence structuring. The second paragraph attempts an overview, but the subsequent body paragraphs are poorly linked and confusingly structured, such as starting a sentence with 'Talking about manufacturing jobs were...' and ending clauses abruptly. Cohesive devices are minimal and often mechanical or inaccurate (e.g., repeating 'while' and 'in the year'). Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion fails to guide the reader smoothly through the data, placing this in the Band 5 category.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, heavily relying on terms provided in the prompt such as 'jobs', 'sectors', 'economy', and years. There are numerous instances of awkward phrasing and imprecise word choices, such as 'declining 2x folds', 'jobs were less', and 'retail was near 5 million'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are limited and frequently inaccurate. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word formation and collocation errors impede the natural flow of the description. This aligns well with the Band 5 descriptor for lexical resource.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple or poorly linked clauses that often run on without proper punctuation. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing subjects, incorrect prepositions, and faulty subordination (e.g., 'Talking about manufacturing jobs were 15 million...'). Errors frequently cause difficulty for the reader and obscure the precise relationships between the data points. While some basic sentences are accurate, the overall control of complex grammar is weak, earning a band score of 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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