Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29
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 graph illustrates the average number of jobs in four different sectors which contributes in the economy of US from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, all the sectors show upward trend expect
agriculture in the beginning. Manufacturing sector produced most number of jobs in 1960, whereas, healthcare sector had lowest jobs. The agriculture and retail center produced equal number of employments in that specific year.
At start, manufacturing industry was produced 15 millon jobs, then soar to 20 millon in 1980, after this it declined significantly to less than 15 millon jobs in 2020.Healthcare industry which was produced almost 2 millon jobs in 1960 climbed to more than 15 millon jobs at the end.
On the other hand, agriculture and retail industry were parallel to each other with just over 5 millon employments in 1960, moreover, retail industry surge to just above 15 million jobs, nevertheless, agriculture sector dip from 5 million to approximately 2 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response covers all four economic sectors shown in the graph and attempts to highlight the main trends, such as the growth of healthcare and the decline of agriculture. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the data: the student states that 'agriculture and retail center produced equal number of employments' in 1960 (whereas agriculture was at 6 million and retail was also at 6 million, so they were equal, but the text misses some clearer comparisons), and states that healthcare 'was produced almost 2 million jobs' (minor grammatical awkwardness). The overview correctly identifies overall upward trends with an exception, satisfying the requirements for Task Achievement at a Band 6.0 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay is divided into a clear introduction, an overall paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing specific time periods. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related ideas. However, cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or overused ('At start', 'after this', 'On the other hand'). Referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression between sentences is occasionally hindered by awkward transitions and run-on structures. Overall, the essay presents a coherent structure that is easy to follow, aligning with the Band 6 descriptor.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms like 'sector', 'decline significantly', and 'employments'. However, there are noticeable word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'millon' instead of million, 'centre' used instead of sector, and awkward passive constructions like 'industry was produced'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success. These errors do not seriously impede communication, placing the response firmly in the Band 5.5 to 6.0 range, supported by a score of 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ('Healthcare industry which was produced...'). However, grammatical control is inconsistent, featuring frequent errors in voice, tense, and word formation (e.g., 'manufacturing industry was produced 15 millon jobs', 'retail industry surge'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but comma splices and missing articles appear throughout. Because the errors occur frequently in complex structures and cause some strain for the reader, a Band 5.5 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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