Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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 assigned line chart illustrated number of employment sectors in the US from 1960 to 2020. Employment sector includes different job fields such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare.

Overall, it is clearly seen that higher number of jobs were available in manufacturing sector till 2000 whereas least number of jobs were in agriculture. Besides, jobs in retail and healthcare showed an upward trend.

To begin with, about 3 million jobs were in agriculture field which later showed an increase of around 12 millions. Similarily, alike trend was seen in retail domain with the growth from 7 to 17 million jobs. In addition to this, Manufacture sector first showed a sharp rise of 5 millions which afterwards decreased by 8 millions.

Furthermore, in agriculture sector almost downward trend was observed throughout the time period and went from 7 millions to 3 millions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarise the main features of the chart, including general trends for manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, the student claims that jobs in agriculture 'went from 7 millions to 3 millions', whereas the chart starts at 6 million in 1960. Additionally, the description of manufacturing contains contradictory data points. Furthermore, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum, containing only 142 words, which negatively impacts the Task Achievement score according to official length penalty guidelines.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into four brief paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, the logical progression is hindered by confusing data and abrupt transitions. While cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'Furthermore' are used, their mechanical nature and the lack of clear referencing make the flow unnatural. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of information is disjointed, leading to a choppy structure that disrupts the overall reading experience.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for addressing the topic, using domain-specific terms such as 'employment sectors', 'manufacturing', 'retail', 'agriculture', and 'healthcare'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'illustrated number of employment sectors' instead of 'illustrates the number of jobs', and 'Manufacture sector' instead of 'manufacturing sector'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited precision and frequent minor inaccuracies, keeping the lexical performance within the mid-range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writing includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Overall, it is clearly seen that higher number of jobs were available...' and 'about 3 million jobs were in agriculture field which later showed an increase...'. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several article errors (e.g., 'illustrated number', 'higher number', 'alike trend') and prepositional inaccuracies. While these errors do not completely obscure the meaning, their frequency prevents the writer from achieving a higher band.

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

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