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 information about 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 i also noticeable that manufacturing had the highest jobs at the beginning of the period but gradually decreased after 1980.

In the beginning of the period, healthcare stood at approximetely 2-3 millions jobs. It then gradually increased to 5 million jobs in the year 1980 after this it continuously increase till the end of the period. After this , Retail stood at 5 millions jobs. It then constantly increased to 15 million jobs in the year 2000 then this it increase to 17 million by the 2020.

In contrast at the starting of the period, manufacturing stood at approximetely 15 millions jobs by 1960. It then gradually increased to 20 million jobs in the year 1980 after this it decreases till the end of the period reaches to 13 million jobs . After this , Agricultural stood at 5 millions jobs. It then constantly down fall to 2-3 million jobs in the year 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student covers all four sectors shown in the graph and successfully identifies key trends, such as the upward trajectory of Healthcare and Retail versus the decline of Agriculture. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the main overall movements. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting specific data points. For instance, the student states that manufacturing reached 20 million jobs in 1980 and then decreased to 13 million, which is accurate, but the initial figure for Healthcare in 1960 is misstated as 2-3 million (it starts at 2 million) and the tracking of figures becomes slightly confused with repetitive phrasing such as 'After this'. Despite these minor data inaccuracies and a slightly disjointed body paragraph structure, all parts of the prompt are addressed, supporting a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into clear paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, logical progression and cohesive flow are frequently hindered by repetitive and mechanical transitions, particularly the overuse of the phrase 'After this' at the beginning of sentences. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the mechanical sequencing makes the body paragraphs feel disjointed. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion requires better variety and precision. These issues place the response firmly in Band 5.5, as the overall arrangement is clear, but cohesive devices are inadequately and repetitively applied.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully employing terms like 'upward trend', 'gradually increased', and 'continuously increase'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('approximetely') and awkward lexical choices or collocations, such as 'constantly down fall' instead of a noun phrase like 'a steady decline' or a verb phrase like 'declined steadily'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success, and word-choice errors occasionally disrupt the flow, though they do not completely impede communication. This performance aligns with the descriptors for Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time markers. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several punctuation and agreement issues, such as a comma splice in the overview ('over the period , it i also noticeable') and incorrect verb tense/form combinations like 'it continuously increase' and 'it decreases till the end of the period reaches to 13 million jobs'. While these errors do not fully obscure the meaning, their frequency prevents the response from achieving a higher band. A score of 5.5 reflects a mix of basic and attempted complex structures with recurring grammatical errors.

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