Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The lines graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors in millions in the USA between 4 decades.
The manufacturing sector was higher than others till 2000. After 2000 manufacturing jobs were decreased.At the starting, it stood at 15millions. At the end, it reached 13millions. The manufacturing sector was higest in 1980. They stood at 20millions. The healthcare sector jobs were lower than others at the starting. They were only 2millions. After 1980 the healthcare jobs daramatically climbed. jobs in healthcare sector came up on 16millions. Agriculture sector jobs were only 6million in 1960. Then agriculture jobs gradually fell in 1980. they were left only 3millions. Jobs in retail sectors steadly rose throughout the period. At the start they were 6millions, after 1960 jobs stood at 16millions.
In the light of above, at the start manufacturing jobs were higher than others and in 2020 jobs in retail sector and agriculture sector were higher than others.
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 cover the main features of the graph, noting general trends and starting or ending figures for the four sectors. However, there are notable data inaccuracies and unsupported generalisations. For instance, the student states that manufacturing jobs reached 13 million at the end, which is generally accurate, but claims that 'in 2020 jobs in retail sector and agriculture sector were higher than others', which is factually incorrect as healthcare and retail both reached 16 million while manufacturing was at 13 million and agriculture dropped to 2 million. Furthermore, the selection of data is somewhat disjointed and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. These shortcomings place the response firmly in Band 5.0, as the task is only partially addressed with some unclear or inaccurate reporting of data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response shows an attempt to organise information by sector, with sentences dedicated to manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and retail respectively. However, the paragraphing is extremely poor, with the entire body text squashed into a single block of text following a brief introduction and conclusion. Cohesive devices are repetitive and sometimes inaccurate, such as 'At the starting', 'After 1980', and 'Then'. The logical progression within sentences is frequently disrupted by abrupt transitions and mechanical referencing ('They stood at 20millions', 'They were only 2millions'). This level of cohesion and paragraphing aligns with a Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses a limited range of vocabulary appropriate to the task, with repeated reliance on basic terms like 'jobs', 'sector', 'start', and 'end'. There are several word-form and spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'millions' used incorrectly as a plural noun adjunct ('15millions'), 'higest' instead of highest, 'daramatically' instead of dramatically, and 'steadly' instead of steadily. While the intended meaning is usually understood, the lexical control is weak and restricted, preventing the score from rising above Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying primarily on simple sentences with repetitive subjects ('The manufacturing sector...', 'Agriculture sector jobs...', 'Jobs in retail sectors...'). Attempts at past tense verbs and passive/active shifts are frequently marred by errors, such as 'manufacturing jobs were decreased' (should be active: decreased) and subject-verb agreement issues. Punctuation is also problematic, including missing spaces after full stops ('decreased.At the starting', '1980. they were left'). Because complex structures are largely absent and simple sentences contain frequent errors, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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