Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The line graph tracks the information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020. At a glance, it is observed that highest job growth is in the category of Healthcare.
Overall, the sectors are divided in Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare respectively.
In the sector of Manufacturing, there is a upward trend from the year 1960 to 1980 then there is steep downfall till the year 2020 with accounting 14 million jobs in the US. In the category of Retail, there is a skyrocket trend in the number of jobs from the year 1960 to 2000. After that there is steady growth upto the year 2020.
In the sector of Healthcare, there is a significant growth in the number of jobs from 4 million to 16 million jobs over the 40 years. Lastly, in the category of Agriculture there is gradual downfall in the number of jobs from 6 million to 3 million jobs over the 40 year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student covers all parts of the task by reporting information for all four sectors across the specified time period. An overview is attempted, noting that the highest job growth was in Healthcare. However, the overview is somewhat brief, and the second sentence of the second paragraph ("Overall, the sectors are divided in Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare respectively") is an ineffective attempt at an overview that merely lists the categories rather than synthesizing main trends. Data points are generally accurate, although there are minor inaccuracies or approximations in reporting specific figures, such as stating Manufacturing had 14 million jobs in 2020 (the chart shows approximately 13 million). Overall, the response addresses the prompt adequately, but the lack of a fully developed summary and occasional data discrepancies prevent it from reaching a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by a brief overview, and subsequent body paragraphs dedicated to specific sectors. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as "At a glance," "Overall," and "In the sector of." However, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, notably with the single-sentence overview placed in its own paragraph which disrupts the flow. Additionally, referencing and linking within paragraphs can feel a bit repetitive and mechanical ("In the sector of...", "In the category of..."). Progression is discernible overall, but the organizational structure lacks sophistication.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, incorporating terms like "upward trend," "steep downfall," "skyrocket trend," and "gradual downfall." However, there are notable lexical errors and awkward collocations. For instance, "tracks the information about" is unnatural, and phrases like "steep downfall" and "skyrocket trend" show an attempt at less common vocabulary but lack precision and natural stylistic control. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice limitations and occasional awkward phrasing restrict the score to this band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using time clauses and introductory prepositional phrases effectively in places. However, there are recurring grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as "with accounting 14 million jobs" (which should be "accounting for") and "over the 40 year" (missing the plural 's'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but minor structural slips persist throughout the response. The frequency of these errors does not impede overall communication, but they prevent the writing from achieving higher control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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