Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30

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 4.0)

The graph depicts the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020. The data is calibrated in millions.

In an overall, it is crystal clear in the given line chart in the year 1980 the maximum economy in the US was in manufacturing and the least economy consumed by healthcare.

To start with, in the given year 1960 the economy of healthcare was around 5 millions and they were slightly drecrease in the year 2000 which was approximately 3 millions. Then, the economy was in agriculture centre around at 2 millions but in the year 2000 they were skyrocketed at 15 millions.

Furthermore, in the year 1960 the economy of retail were consume very less amount of jobs in millions which was over the 5 millions. Moreover, the economy of manufacturing were established number of sale and jobs they were around 25 millions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response attempts to cover the task by mentioning various sectors, but it suffers from severe inaccuracies in data reporting and misinterprets the visual information significantly. For instance, the student states that in 1960 healthcare was around 5 million and agriculture skyrocketed to 15 million in 2000, which completely contradicts the provided chart where healthcare started at 2 million and agriculture remained low at 3 million. The overview is poorly formed ('In an overall, it is crystal clear...') and fails to capture the main global trends effectively. Because the reported data does not match the visual evidence and key features are misread, the task achievement is limited.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response uses some basic cohesive devices such as 'To start with' and 'Furthermore', but the overall organization and logical progression are weak. The paragraphing is underdeveloped, and sentences are often disjointed. Referencing is frequently unclear (e.g., using 'they' ambiguously for singular sectors or data points). The introduction of an overview is flawed in its placement and phrasing, hindering the natural flow of the report. Consequently, cohesion feels mechanical and confusing at times.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The lexical range is quite limited and heavily repetitive, relying frequently on basic phrases like 'the economy of' and 'number of jobs'. There are noticeable inappropriate word choices and collocations, such as 'maximum economy', 'least economy consumed', and 'established number of sale'. Vocabulary errors occasionally cause confusion for the reader. While the student attempts less common vocabulary ('skyrocketed'), it is misused in relation to the actual data values, keeping the lexical score at a modest level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0

The grammatical range is restricted primarily to simple and attempted complex structures, which are frequently faulty. Examples of frequent errors include subject-verb agreement issues ('the economy of retail were consume'), incorrect prepositions, and awkward phrasing ('were slightly drecrease'). Punctuation and word form errors are common throughout the response. Although some basic sentences are correct, the density of grammatical errors impacts readability and impedes clear communication.

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