Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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 employees in four sectors of the US economy- manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare- from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the manufacturing employment rate was highest at the beginning, but then there was a sharp decline. In contrast , the retail and healthcare workforce maintained a steady incline throughout the period. However, the agriculture jobs rate shows a sharp decline over the period.

In 1960, the manufacturing employment rate was dominant and it produced the highest number of jobs, 20 million by 1980. Moreover, the retail and healthcare employment figure was illustrated a steady growth of 17 million for each by 2020.

In 1980, the manufacturing job rate shows a lowest trend to 12 million by 2020, while the agriculture sector also produces low number

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to cover the main features of the chart, providing an overall summary and noting trends such as the decline in manufacturing and agriculture alongside the growth in retail and healthcare. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the text states that manufacturing reached 20 million by 1980 (which is correct) but then confuses subsequent figures, and the final sentence trails off incomplete ('while the agriculture sector also produces low number'). Furthermore, the word count is 130 words, falling short of the mandatory 150-word minimum requirement. This directly impacts Task Achievement, resulting in a score of 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure, featuring a clear introduction and an overall overview paragraph. However, the organization breaks down in the body paragraphs. Sentences are disjointed, and the final sentence is incomplete, cutting off abruptly. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'However' are used, but their mechanical application does not always establish a clear logical progression between ideas. Paragraphing is also somewhat fragmented, with a very short final sentence standing alone. These issues place the response at Band 5.0 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic summary of the graph, incorporating topic-specific terms like 'employment rate', 'workforce', 'manufacturing', and 'agriculture'. However, there is a lack of precision and lexical control. The writer frequently reuses words like 'employment rate' and 'sector' rather than varying phrasing, and some collocations are awkward, such as 'jobs rate shows a lowest trend'. There are also minor errors in word choice. The lexical range is limited, satisfying the descriptors for Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using introductory prepositional phrases and contrastive connectors. However, grammatical accuracy is weak. There are errors in verb tense consistency, awkward phrasing ('was illustrated a steady growth'), and structural incompleteness at the very end of the text where a sentence is left hanging. While basic sentences are generally understandable, frequent errors and the truncated ending restrict the score to Band 5.0.

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

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