Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-28
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 bar graph illustrates the number of jobs in the US in four sectors, such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare, in four different years, such as 1960, 1980, 2000, and 2020. The units are measured in millions.
Overall, the number of jobs in the manufacturing sector was the highest in the graph. The least number of jobs in the agriculture sector. In general, the jobs in the retail and healthcare sectors increase every year in this graph.
Now turning to the details, the number of jobs in the manufacturing sector significantly increased to 20 million in 1980, and in the retail sector plummeted to 10 million at the same time. The number of jobs in the retail sector in the US increased slightly to 16 million in 2020. The number of jobs in the agriculture sector dramatically increased to 15 million in 2020, while in 2000 it fell freefall to 10 million.
As an overall trend, the number of jobs in the agriculture sector decreased every year. In comparison, the number of jobs in retail sectors significantly grew to 15 million in the year 2020, while in agriculture sector plummeted to 3 million at the same time.
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 student attempts to cover the main features of the chart, but there are significant factual inaccuracies in reporting the data. For example, the student claims that the manufacturing sector plummeted in 1980 (it actually peaked at 20 million) and states that agriculture dramatically increased to 15 million in 2020 (agriculture actually fell to 2 million). Furthermore, the task presents a line graph, but the student mistakenly refers to it as a 'bar graph'. While an overview is attempted, these severe misinterpretations of the source data prevent the response from fully meeting the requirements of the task. (Band 5.0)
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, progression is disrupted by contradictions and confusion within the data. Cohesive devices are used to transition between points, such as 'Now turning to the details' and 'As an overall trend,' but some referencing is faulty or mechanical, and the repetition of overarching trends creates disjointed progression. Paragraphing is present, but overall structural flow is hindered by the factual errors in the content. (Band 5.0)
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range to discuss economic sectors and trends, utilizing terms like 'manufacturing,' 'retail,' 'agriculture,' and 'healthcare.' However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'fell freefall' instead of 'plummeted' or 'fell sharply,' and repeating phrases rather than varying language. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice errors directly impact the precision of the data description. (Band 5.0)
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as introductory prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses ('while in 2000 it fell freefall to 10 million'). However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are awkward phrasings and syntactic errors, including missing verbs or incorrect prepositions, such as 'The least number of jobs in the agriculture sector' (missing verb) and 'jobs in the retail and healthcare sectors increase every year' (tense shift issues). Errors sometimes cause slight confusion for the reader. (Band 5.0)
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