Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-24

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 employees in four different sectors in the United States between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs in Manufacturing and Healthcare rose, while the number of jobs in Retail and Agriculture declined.

In contrast, the number of jobs in Healthcare increased steadily from three million in 1960 to approximately sixteen million over six decades. The number of jobs in Retail grew gradually from six million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020.

In contrast, the number of jobs in Manufacturing was fifteen million in 1960 and climbed dramatically to 20 million, and declined steadily over four decades to 13 million in 2020. The number of jobs in Agriculture declined slowly from six million in 1960 to 3 million over the six decades.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully highlights the main overall trends, correctly noting that Manufacturing and Healthcare rose overall while Retail and Agriculture declined. However, there are some factual inaccuracies in the overview and body paragraphs; for example, the student claims Manufacturing rose while Agriculture declined, but Healthcare actually started at two million in 1960 rather than three million. Crucially, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum, containing only 130 words. This under-length limitation directly impacts the fullness of the task response, preventing proper extension and comparison across all four categories, resulting in a Band 5.5 score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text presents a clear logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs separated logically. Cohesive devices are used, though there is some awkward repetition of linking phrases, such as starting consecutive sentences with "In contrast". Paragraphing is adequate and the overall progression is generally clear, guiding the reader through the data points despite the short length of the text. Referencing is mostly clear, earning a solid Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing economic sectors and numerical trends, using terms like "employees", "rose", "declined", "climbed dramatically", and "gradually". However, word choices are sometimes basic or repetitive, and there are occasional slight inaccuracies. The range is sufficient to communicate the main ideas simply, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands, fitting the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as subordinate clauses ("while the number of jobs in Retail and Agriculture declined"). There are several error-free sentences, and grammatical control over basic structures is reasonably good. While punctuation is generally fine, the overall range of complex grammatical structures remains somewhat limited. Errors do not impede communication, placing this securely at Band 6.0.

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

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