Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18
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 trends between the number of jobs in four major sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, the graph represents the total numbers of jobs in the four major sectors (Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare). In healthcare and retail sectors we can see a increase with the passage of time but in agriculture sector we see consistent jobs decreased. In manufacturing sector we can see clear fluctuation in start its shows rapid growth but after 1980 saw a dropped in Jobs.
Manufacturing sector is a highlighted category with 15 millions jobs, that grew in the start from 1960 to 1980 but after 1980 it showed the consist decline in the jobs. In contrast healthcare sector shows significant growth with the passage of time each year the growth graph move upward with stable growth.
In 1960, where retail sector graph shows raid growth but the agriculture sector decreased in the jobs but after 1980 we do not see any growth in the jobs so they remain consistent and after 2000 we also see decrease in agriculture sector.
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 cover all four sectors across the given period, but the response contains several inaccuracies and a very weak overview. The overview merely repeats the prompt wording ('represents the total numbers of jobs in the four major sectors') rather than highlighting the main trends, such as the dramatic rise in healthcare and the sharp decline in agriculture. Furthermore, the description of data contains errors; for instance, stating that retail showed 'raid growth' in 1960 and misinterpreting the trajectory of manufacturing and agriculture. While some general features are reported, the lack of precision, poorly developed comparisons, and superficial overview place this response in Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is structured into multiple paragraphs, but the overall progression is disjointed and confusing. The paragraphs lack clear topic sentences, and transitions between ideas are abrupt. For instance, the transition 'In 1960, where retail sector graph shows raid growth...' is grammatically incomplete and fails to link logically to the previous sentence. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes incorrectly (e.g., 'in start its shows'). Paragraphing is attempted, but because the internal logical development of each paragraph is weak, the response struggles to maintain a clear overall progression. This fits the Band 5 descriptor for coherence and cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with noticeable errors in word choice and spelling that occasionally impede communication. Examples of errors include 'decreased' used as a noun ('consistent jobs decreased'), 'dropped' instead of 'drop', 'consist' instead of 'consistent', and 'raid' instead of 'rapid'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary such as 'fluctuation', 'significant growth', and 'highlighted category', but these are often used inaccurately or awkwardly. The range is limited and minimally adequate for the task, which corresponds to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, and attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are multiple grammatical errors throughout the text, such as missing prepositions, tense inconsistencies ('saw a dropped in Jobs', 'it shows rapid growth but after 1980 saw a dropped'), and run-on sentences ('In healthcare and retail sectors we can see a increase with the passage of time but in agriculture sector we see consistent jobs decreased'). Punctuation is also problematic in places, with comma splices and missing periods. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader, aligning with Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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