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 illustrates the number of jobs in four countries in the US economy from 1960 to 2002.

Overall, it is evident that manufacturing category experienced an upward trend, while another category, agriculture, moved in the opposite direction. Additionally, another two jobs segemnets increase over the period.

At the beginning of the period, manufacturing stood at approximately 15 million, making it the highest. It then rose sharply to [20 million in 1980. Onwards, 1980 jobs in the US economy fell sharply to around 13 million in 2000.

Meanwhile, in 1960, agriculture started at a low point of almost 6 million and fell gradually over the period to 3 million in 2002.

Healthcare and Retail both sectors started with 6 million jobs in 1960 and climbed to 16 million in 2002. The noticeable thing is that both healthcare and retail categories increased at the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarise the main features of the graph, identifying key trends such as the upward trajectory of manufacturing and retail/healthcare, and the downward trend in agriculture. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies when compared to the visual data provided. For instance, the student states the graph covers '1960 to 2002' when the axis ends in 2020, and describes retail and healthcare as reaching '16 million in 2002' rather than 2020. Furthermore, the length requirement has not been met, as the response contains 148 words, falling two words short of the 150-word minimum. This results in a direct penalty under Task Achievement. Consequently, the score reflects a partial address of the prompt with under-developed and inaccurate data reporting.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response exhibits some overall organisation with a brief introduction, an overview paragraph, and subsequent body paragraphs. However, paragraphing is somewhat disjointed and basic. While cohesive devices are attempted ('Overall', 'Additionally', 'At the beginning', 'Meanwhile'), referencing is occasionally flawed, such as 'another category, agriculture' and 'another two jobs segemnets increase'. There is no clear overall progression of ideas, and transitions between sentences feel mechanical rather than fluid. This places the performance firmly in the Band 5 category for cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but limited in range. The student successfully employs basic terms relating to trends, such as 'upward trend', 'rose sharply', and 'fell gradually'. However, there are noticeable spelling and typographical errors, such as 'segemnets' instead of 'segments'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are minimal, and the student relies heavily on repetitive phrasing. The lexical limitations and inaccuracies occasionally cause hesitation for the reader, aligning with the Band 5 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over basic structures. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'manufacturing category experienced', 'Onwards, 1980 jobs in the US economy fell', and 'Retail both sectors started'. Punctuation and syntax issues are also present, including broken bracket structures like '[20 million in 1980'. These frequent errors create difficulty and require the reader to re-read certain sentences, which justifies a Band 5 score.

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

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