Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, the highest proportion of jobs was in manufacturing. The lowest proportion of jobs was in agriculture.
In 1960, manufacturing Jobs were 15 percent. while in 1980, it increased to 20 percent, and then from 2000 to 2020, it fell to around 13 percent. In 1960, agriculture jobs in the US economy were 6 percent, and then they fell rapidly over the period.
In 1960, health care jobs were fewer, while in 1980, they increased by 5 percent, and then from 2000 to 2020, they rose steadily by 16 percent. In 1960, retail jobs in the sector of the economy were 6 percent, while in 1980, they were around 10 percent. In addition, in 2000, it increased to 15 percent, and in 2020, it was 16 percent.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover the main features of the line graph, providing an overview and mentioning data for the four sectors. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies regarding the units; the student incorrectly labels data points as percentages (e.g., 'manufacturing Jobs were 15 percent'), whereas the chart measures jobs in millions. Furthermore, some data readings are imprecise or misstated based on the visual data. The response also falls just short of the 150-word minimum length requirement, containing 148 words. Consequently, the task is only partially fulfilled.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged into four paragraphs, including a brief introduction and an overview. However, the overall progression is somewhat disjointed. The body paragraphs group information awkwardly rather than contrasting trends effectively over time. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes repetitive, leading to a somewhat mechanical flow. Paragraphing is attempted, but the logical development between sentences within the body paragraphs lacks smooth transitions.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The lexical resource is basic and repetitive. The student uses standard vocabulary related to graphs, such as 'illustrates', 'increased', and 'fell'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies, most prominently the misuse of 'percent' instead of 'millions' throughout the response. Attempts at less common vocabulary are absent, and the range is just about adequate to communicate basic trends, though the persistent unit error impacts precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as conditional or temporal clauses like 'while in 1980, it increased...'. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are punctuation errors, awkward phrasing, and capitalization issues, such as 'jobs' in the middle of a sentence ('manufacturing Jobs were'). Errors occur frequently with time markers and subjects, although they do not completely impede overall understanding.
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