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 line graph illustrates that opportunities in four sectors (manufacturing, retail, agricultural and healthcare) of the financial system in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of job in healthcare sector was increased steadily which start from 2.5 million jobs in 1960 and reached to 15 million in 2020, while opportunities in agricultual field continuously decreased.

In manufacturing sector, it jumped 15 million to 20 million from 1960 to 1980 respectively, but in 1980 it droped and reach to 15.2 million in 2000 and after that it fall sharply to 1 million in 2020. In agricultural sector, it dropped from 5.1 million to 3million from 1960 to 1980 respectively, but in 1980 it slumped from 3 million to 2 million from 1980 to 2020.

The opportunities in healthcare and retail sectors was highest during the year 1960 to 2020. In healthcare, it increases from 2 million in 1960 to 15.1 million in 2020 which is increases gradually. In retail, it increases steadily from 5.1 million in 1960 to 15 million in 2000 after that it grew from 15 to 15.1 in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover the main trends in the graph, presenting an overview and reporting several specific figures. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies when compared against the visual data. For example, the student states that manufacturing fell 'to 1 million in 2020' when the actual figure is approximately 13 million. Similarly, other data points contain inaccuracies and some awkward phrasing regarding the overarching timeline. Although all four sectors are mentioned, the lack of data accuracy prevents the response from fully and correctly reporting all main features. This performance aligns with Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is divided into paragraphs, starting with an introduction and an overall trend, followed by body paragraphs detailing individual sectors. However, logical progression is hindered by the lack of clear cohesive devices and poor transitional phrases. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and sentences within paragraphs feel disjointed rather than forming a cohesive narrative. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion requires improvement. This corresponds to a Band 5.5 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary to discuss economic sectors, using terms such as 'opportunities', 'sectors', 'decreased', and 'steadily'. However, there are frequent inappropriate word choices and collocations, such as referring to jobs as 'opportunities' repeatedly, and inaccurate reporting of trends. Spelling and word-form errors also occur, such as 'agricultual' and 'droped'. The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task. This fits the Band 5.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are noticeable grammatical errors throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the number of job in healthcare sector was increased', 'The opportunities in healthcare and retail sectors was highest') and incorrect tense usage. These persistent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader, matching the criteria for Band 5.0.

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

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