Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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 graph provides a data on the job market in four different categories of the economy in the US in the year 1960, 1980, 2000 and 2020.

Over the years, the job opportunities increased in the agriculture and retail sector whereas it decreased in the manufacturing and healthcare sector.

The number of available work opportunities in the agriculture field showed dramatic increase, starting from around 3 million in the year 1950, to 5 million in 1980, and then to 15 million in 2000 with a slight rise to around 16 million in 2020. Likewise, the retail field followed the exact same pattern as agriculture with only being difference is that it started with 6 million in 1960.

Despite being manufacturing sector the highest proportion, this figure fell from 15 million in 1960 to 13 million in 2020, although it increased to 20 million in 1980 and again fell slightly almost 17 million in 2000. The healthcare started from 6 million in 1960, remained stable at 3 million in 1980 and 2000, and slightly declined in 2020 with 2 million jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to summarise the main features of the line graph, but it contains major factual inaccuracies that contradict the visual data. For instance, the student states that job opportunities in agriculture 'showed dramatic increase, starting from around 3 million in the year 1950, to 5 million in 1980, and then to 15 million in 2000', whereas the graph actually shows agriculture declining from 6 million in 1960 to 2 million in 2020. Similarly, the descriptions of manufacturing, retail, and healthcare contain swapped data points and reversed trends. The overview provided in the second paragraph ('job opportunities increased in the agriculture and retail sector whereas it decreased in the manufacturing and healthcare sector') is also partially incorrect, as healthcare experienced a substantial increase. Due to these significant misinterpretations of the data, the task is only partially addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into four paragraphs, including an introduction and a concluding body section, which provides a basic structural framework. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by inaccurate referencing and confusing transitions. For instance, the phrase 'Despite being manufacturing sector the highest proportion' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the logical flow. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'Likewise', and 'although' are attempted, but their incorrect usage creates confusion rather than coherence. Paragraphing is present, but the internal cohesion of the body paragraphs is severely affected by the erroneous reporting of data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for discussing economic sectors and statistical trends, using terms such as 'job opportunities', 'sector', 'proportion', and 'stable'. However, there are frequent word choice and collocation errors that reflect a misunderstanding of terms or faulty translation. Examples include 'provides a data', 'available work opportunities', and 'with only being difference'. Furthermore, incorrect naming and misinterpretation of the data skew the lexical accuracy in context. While spelling is generally acceptable, the misuse of lexical items occasionally impedes smooth communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses using markers like 'whereas', 'starting from', and 'although'. However, grammatical control is weak throughout the response. There are numerous errors in article usage ('provides a data', 'being manufacturing sector'), prepositional phrases ('in the agriculture and retail sector', 'with 2 million jobs'), and clause structure ('with only being difference is that'). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency also falter in places. These frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader and reflect a limited grasp of accurate complex structures.

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