Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-23

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 map illustrates the change in the economy in the four sectors of the jobs in the US. The economy increases in the manufacturing department in the early years [redacted phone] from 15 millions to 20 but then gradually decreases from round about 3 millions from [redacted phone]. And at the end of 2020 it decreases to 13 millions.

Same as the most probable increase was noticed in the retail job sector. It increases in 1960 from 5 million to 10 million in the starting which is approximately an increase of 5 millions . From 1980 -2000 the same increase will continue as this increase was also 5 milllion in the next 20 years . but in the years [redacted phone] this increase slows down from 16 million to 16 million which is the increase of only 1 million.

As moving toward the agriculture sector a huge decrease has been noticed from the starting years to the last years. The decrease starts from the 6 million to 3 million in the beginning years [redacted phone]. But in the next years [redacted phone] there is no decrease or increase noticed as the economy was maintained . But in the next 20 years the gradual decrease continues from 3 to 2 millions.

The greatest increase was noticed in the healthcare department. This increase starts from 2 million to 5 millions and then gradually from 5 to 11 and then 11 to 16 millions at the last years of the economy map 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student attempts to report the main features and trends from the graph regarding the four job sectors in the US between 1960 and 2020. An overview is partially present, although it is framed incorrectly as a 'map' rather than a graph. The response covers manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare, citing figures such as the rise in manufacturing from '15 millions to 20' and healthcare reaching '16 millions at the last years'. However, there are significant factual misreadings and mathematical errors in reporting data. For instance, the student states that retail 'slows down from 16 million to 16 million which is the increase of only 1 million', which is contradictory and inaccurate based on the chart. Furthermore, important overall comparisons between the sectors (such as healthcare and retail overtaking manufacturing) are largely missed. Because the information is partially inaccurate and under-developed in terms of synthesis, it achieves a Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response is divided into paragraphs, each generally dedicated to one sector of the economy (manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare), which provides a basic structural framework. However, the overall progression is somewhat mechanical and disjointed. Cohesive devices are minimal and repetitive, relying heavily on phrases like 'From 1980 -2000', 'But in the next years', and 'As moving toward'. Additionally, referencing is occasionally confusing, such as opening with 'The map illustrates' instead of 'The graph illustrates', which detracts from logical cohesion. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within sentences often breaks down due to clunky transitions. This meets the criteria for Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The student uses an adequate basic vocabulary related to the task, including terms like 'economy', 'sectors', 'department', 'increase', and 'decrease'. However, the lexical range is narrow and features frequent word choice and collocation errors, such as referring to a chart as a 'map', calling economic sectors 'departments', and using awkward phrasing like 'the economy was maintained' to mean stable employment numbers. Spelling is generally acceptable, but precise terminology for describing visual data (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'surpassed') is absent. The vocabulary is minimally adequate for the task, corresponding to a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but control is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with tense consistency, pluralization, and prepositions (e.g., 'The economy increases in the manufacturing department in the early years 1960-1980 from 15 millions to 20', 'from the starting years to the last years', 'from 5 million to 10 million in the starting'). Punctuation and article usage are also faulty throughout the response (e.g., missing articles before sectors, erratic spacing around hyphens). While communication of the basic narrative is not entirely obscured, the high frequency of errors places this at a Band 5.0.

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