Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-26
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 graph illustrates information about the number of jobs across four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020
Overall, The number of jobs in retail increase gradually, while the jobs in agriculture declined despite some fluctuations. The jobs in healthcare increased steadly over the period. in addition the manufacturing jobs experienced highest figure in 1960.
in 1960 healthcare jobs accounted least figure at 2, which is continously increased over the period and in 2020 healthcare jobs have highest figure followed by retail at 16. Manufacturing accounted highest jobs in 1960 which rose to figure 20 at 1980 then it experienced gradually declined at 13 in 2020.
in 1960 the number of jobs in retail at 5, then the figure regularly increased and become highest figure in 2020 at 16 followed by healthcare. The number of jobs in agriculture steadly declined over the period despite some fluctuations, in 1996 the figure 6 and in 2020 at 20
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 response provides an overview with main trends and selects key data points to report, such as the peak in manufacturing in 1980 and the continuous growth of healthcare. However, there are notable inaccuracies in reporting the data. For instance, the student states that agriculture was 'in 1996 the figure 6 and in 2020 at 20', which completely misinterprets the graph (agriculture starts at 6 in 1960 and drops to 2 in 2020; the number 1996 appears to be a misread of the year 1960 or a confusion of data). Furthermore, initial figures for retail and healthcare contain slight inaccuracies. Despite presenting an overview and some comparisons, the data errors prevent a higher band. This performance aligns with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response attempts to organise information into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs detailing specific sectors. However, paragraphing is erratic and some sentences lack clear logical progression. There is a frequent lack of cohesive devices or awkward transitions between ideas, such as 'in addition the manufacturing jobs experienced highest figure' and 'in 1960 healthcare jobs accounted least figure at 2, which is continously increased'. Reference words and conjunctions are basic and sometimes misused. While the overall layout reflects a report structure, the mechanical and faulty cohesion places this firmly in Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive, relying heavily on standard phrases like 'number of jobs', 'increased gradually', and 'declined over the period'. There are several word choice and collocation errors, such as 'accounted least figure' instead of 'accounted for the lowest figure' or 'accounted for the fewest jobs', and 'experienced gradually declined' instead of 'experienced a gradual decline'. Spelling and word formation are sometimes flawed, as seen in 'steadly' instead of 'steadily'. The lexical range is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic topic, earning a Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response shows a limited range of sentence structures, primarily simple sentences and simple attempts at complex clauses that often contain grammatical errors. Examples of errors include missing subjects or incorrect verb forms ('increase gradually' instead of 'increased', 'become highest figure' instead of 'became the highest figure'), missing prepositions, and punctuation issues like missing capital letters at the beginning of sentences ('in addition', 'in 1960'). Frequent grammatical errors cause some difficulty for the reader and demonstrate weak control over complex structures, corresponding to a Band 5.
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