Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22
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 5.5)
The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US over the period from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, it is clear that Healthcare and retail experienced an upward trend, while Agriculture declined over the period. It is also noticeable that Manufacturing had the highest number of jobs at the beginning of the period, but gradually decreased from the year 1980.
In the beginning of the period, Healthcare stood at the last position approximately 2-3million jobs. It then gradually increased to approximately 5 million jobs in the year 1980. After this, it continued to increased till the end of 2020. In the same way jobs in the retail sector also showed an upward trend from 1960 to 2020.
Whereas, Manufacturing jobs were in the beginning of the period, from 1980 it showed a downward trend till 2020, approxmately 6 million jobs lower. While, agriculture is at the last position in all four sectors by the end of 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features and trends of the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. An overview is provided, highlighting the upward trends for Healthcare and Retail and the decline in Agriculture. Key data points are selected and compared, such as Manufacturing starting at the highest level and Healthcare finishing at the top alongside Retail. However, some of the descriptions in the body paragraphs lack precision or clear supporting figures, such as the vague phrase 'Manufacturing jobs were in the beginning of the period', which appears to be incomplete. Overall, the response meets the core requirements of Task Achievement well, earning a band score of 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a clear overall progression and is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then detailed body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In the beginning', and 'After this' are used to guide the reader through the data. However, referencing and paragraph links occasionally feel a bit mechanical, and there are awkward transitions between sentences, such as starting a sentence with 'Whereas, Manufacturing jobs were in the beginning of the period'. Paragraphing is used appropriately overall, but internal cohesion within the final paragraph is slightly disjointed. This level of organisation aligns with a band score of 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a task of this type, using terms such as 'upward trend', 'gradually increased', and 'downward trend'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but these are accompanied by lexical inaccuracies or awkward phrasing, such as 'stood at the last position' instead of 'started at the lowest point' or 'ranked lowest'. Additionally, there is a spelling error ('approxmately'). While word choices are mostly adequate to convey the meaning, these limitations prevent the score from reaching a higher band. Therefore, a band score of 6.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as introductory dependent clauses ('Overall, it is clear that...'). However, there are notable grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, most prominently in the final paragraph where a sentence appears truncated ('Whereas, Manufacturing jobs were in the beginning of the period...'). Other errors include preposition misuse ('increased till the end') and minor structural slips. These errors occasionally cause slight difficulty or require re-reading, though they do not completely impede communication. This performance fits the descriptors for a band score of 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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