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 jobs in the healthcare 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 dropped and reach to 15.2 million in 2000 and after that it fell 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 were highest during the year 1960 to 2020. In healthcare, it increases from 2 million in 1960 to 15.1 million in 2020 which is increased gradually. In retail, it increasing 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
| 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 summarize the main features of the line graph, providing an overview and mentioning data points for the four sectors. However, there are significant inaccuracies in reporting the data compared to the visual reference. For instance, manufacturing did not fall to '1 million in 2020' (the correct value is around 13 million), and healthcare did not peak at '15 million' matching retail identically in the final year while having various other conflicting numbers throughout the text. While an overview is present, the inaccurate reporting of specific data points prevents the response from fully and accurately covering all parts of the task, restricting it to a Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific sectors. However, the progression is sometimes difficult to follow due to mechanical and repetitive phrasing (e.g., constantly repeating 'in [sector], it...'). Furthermore, referencing is unclear in sentences like 'in 1980 it dropped and reach to 15.2 million in 2000', where the pronoun lacks a clear antecedent. Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes misused. Paragraphing is present, but overall the logical flow is disrupted by structural weaknesses, placing it firmly at Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but limited and repetitive, featuring frequent word-choice and spelling errors (e.g., 'agricultual' instead of 'agricultural', 'increases' instead of 'increased'). The student attempts some less common vocabulary such as 'steadily', 'continuously', and 'sharply', but these are often paired with inaccurate data or awkward collocations (e.g., 'opportunities in ... the financial system' instead of 'economy'). While meaning is generally conveyed, the lexical limitations and inaccuracies put this response at a Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but many of these attempts contain grammatical errors and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'The line graph illustrates that opportunities in four sectors ... of the financial system in the US from 1960 to 2020' lacks a main verb). There are frequent errors in verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions (e.g., 'it start from', 'which is increased gradually'). These errors frequently cause difficulty for the reader and mean that error-free sentences are not in the majority, aligning with the Band 5 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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