Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-25

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 chart illustrates the proportion of millions of jobs in four different sectors such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare within the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020

Overall, the chart represents the fluctuation in the manufacturing sector; however, it reached a peak in 1980 with 20 million of jobs but after some decades it plummeted to just 13 million in 2020.

On the other hand, the agriculture sector jobs were on a peak in 1960 and then started falling gradually with every passing year and at the end hit a low of almost 2 million of jobs available in 2020.

In 1960, retail and healthcare sector were on the lowest point of available jobs nevertheless started rising steadily in the next 40 years. One of the significant factors in 2020 both fields hit the same figures of 16 million that were recorded

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers all four sectors shown in the chart and provides key data points such as the peak of manufacturing in 1980 at 20 million and the final figures for retail and healthcare at 16 million in 2020. An overview is present in the second paragraph, outlining the main trends. However, the response has a few minor inaccuracies in data reporting, such as stating agriculture was 'on a peak in 1960' when it actually started at 6 million while retail also started at 6 million. Furthermore, the word count is 146 words, which falls short of the mandatory 150-word minimum requirement. This minor under-length penalty affects the overall Task Achievement band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text is organized with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs discussing specific sectors. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions between ideas, such as 'Overall', 'On the other hand', and 'In 1960'. However, paragraphing is somewhat basic and the linkage between sentences can feel slightly mechanical. Additionally, referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as the dangling clause at the end of the final sentence ('that were recorded') which lacks clear structural cohesion. Nevertheless, there is a logical progression of ideas overall.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student attempts a range of vocabulary suitable for a task describing economic data, using terms like 'fluctuation', 'plummeted', 'gradually', and 'significant factors'. However, there are notable collocation errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'the proportion of millions of jobs' (which is contradictory) and '20 million of jobs' instead of '20 million jobs'. The vocabulary is adequate for conveying the main features of the chart, but repetitive phrasing and word choice inaccuracies prevent it from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including introductory subordinate clauses ('In 1960, retail and healthcare sector were...'). However, there are noticeable grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('retail and healthcare sector were') and missing articles or prepositions ('were on the lowest point'). Punctuation is also weak, with run-on phrasing and sentences ending abruptly or lacking final punctuation in places. Despite these errors, meaning is generally not obscured, allowing the reader to follow the intended message.

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