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)

Rapid urbanization has exacerbated housing shortages in major metropolitan areas, sparking debate over the most effective solutions. While constructing high-rise residential towers is often viewed as the primary method to address this crisis, I only partially agree with this view. Although vertical development maximizes land efficiency, a balanced urban strategy requiring varied housing models and improved infrastructure is necessary to ensure sustainable living standards.

On the one hand, high-rise apartment complexes offer an efficient response to severe land scarcity in densely populated cities. By expanding vertically rather than horizontally, high-rises accommodate thousands of residents on a relatively small footprint. This density makes public utilities and transportation networks vastly more cost-effective to deploy, as infrastructure does not need to stretch across vast geographic distances. Cities like Singapore and Tokyo demonstrate how high-density tower blocks can successfully house millions while preventing urban sprawl and preserving adjacent natural green spaces.

On the other hand, relying exclusively on tall apartment buildings creates significant social, architectural, and financial drawbacks. High-rise construction requires specialized engineering, premium materials, and heavy ongoing maintenance, which frequently drives up housing costs rather than making homes affordable for low-income residents. Furthermore, dense high-rise developments can put immense strain on local services, causing severe traffic congestion and overwhelming public utilities if not carefully integrated. Socially, high-rise living often fosters isolation, offering fewer communal areas compared to traditional mid-rise or mixed-use neighborhoods.

To effectively solve the housing shortage, municipalities should adopt a multifaceted urban planning model. Developing medium-density housing such as townhouses and four-to-six-story apartment buildings provides a sustainable balance between land efficiency and liveability. Additionally, investing in high-speed public transit to link suburban satellite towns with city centers enables governments to distribute populations more evenly, alleviating the pressure on central urban cores without forcing high-density vertical living on everyone.

In conclusion, while high-rise apartment blocks play a vital role in optimizing land use in overcrowded cities, they are not a standalone solution. A comprehensive strategy that combines vertical construction with medium-density housing and regional infrastructure development is far more effective in delivering sufficient, liveable homes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0

The student has completely misunderstood the prompt. This submission is a response to an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay prompt about urbanization and high-rise residential towers, rather than an Academic Task 1 report describing the provided line graph about jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020. Because no visual data from the graph has been reported, summarized, or compared, the response fails to address the core requirements of Task 1 entirely. Under the IELTS band descriptors, responding to the wrong task type or writing an essay instead of a data report results in a severe penalty for Task Achievement, earning a band score of 1.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

Although the text is written as an essay rather than a graph report, it is internally well-structured and organized. The student uses a clear paragraph structure with an introduction, well-defined body paragraphs with topic sentences ('On the one hand', 'On the other hand'), and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link ideas and guide the reader smoothly through the arguments. Paragraphing is logical and appropriate for an argumentative essay. However, because this is being evaluated in the context of an Academic Task 1 response, the organizational framework does not fulfill the specific structural needs of a data report.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The lexical resource displayed in the text is quite strong and sophisticated, featuring a wide range of topic-specific vocabulary suited for a Task 2 essay. The student successfully employs terms such as 'rapid urbanization', 'housing shortages', 'land scarcity', 'infrastructure', and 'multifaceted urban planning model'. Word choice is generally precise and collocation is natural throughout the response. There are no noticeable spelling or word-formation errors. While this vocabulary is well above the threshold for an average Task 1 descriptive report, it is evaluated here based on the language actually produced by the writer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a strong command of grammatical structures. The response contains a wide variety of complex sentence forms, including conditional and participial clauses (e.g., 'By expanding vertically rather than horizontally, high-rises accommodate thousands of residents...', 'While constructing high-rise residential towers is often viewed...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout. Grammar and mechanics do not impede communication at any point, reflecting a high level of control over complex syntactic structures.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.