Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-01

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 line graph illustrates the four sectors of job employment in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Among the four sectors, the manufacturing sector started at highest number. On the contrary, agriculture sector decreased over time.

Firstly the manufacturing sector starting at 15 million increased until 1980 and started falling till 2020. Retail and healthcare sector boosted in equal pace from 6 and 3 million respectively. They matched at 16 million in 2020. Remaining the agriculture sector starting from 6 million started declining over the decades.

Overall the graph demonstrates the demand of jobs in the economy of job over the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response is under the minimum word count of 150 words, which significantly impacts Task Achievement by restricting the development of ideas. While the student attempts to cover the main trends in the line graph, the information presented is only partially developed. For instance, mentioning that the manufacturing sector 'started at highest number' and giving some figures like '15 million' addresses parts of the task, but the overview provided at the end ('Overall the graph demonstrates the demand of jobs in the economy of job over the years') is extremely brief and lacks specificity. To achieve a higher band, the writer must ensure the word count requirement is met and provide a more comprehensive overview along with fully extended comparisons across all four categories throughout the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response shows some organization with a basic division into an introduction, body details, and an overall concluding sentence, but there is no clear overall progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used minimally or somewhat awkwardly, such as relying heavily on sequencing words like 'Firstly' or transitions like 'On the contrary' and 'Remaining', which can feel mechanical rather than naturally integrated. Paragraphing is also overly fragmented, with several very short paragraphs that prevent a smooth flow of information. To improve, the student should group related data more logically, use a wider and more accurate range of cohesive links, and construct a cohesive single body paragraph or two well-balanced paragraphs that guide the reader clearly through the data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic message, featuring common terms like 'sector', 'increased', and 'declining'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations that cause some difficulty or show a lack of precision, such as 'job employment' instead of 'employment' or 'jobs', and stating that retail and healthcare 'boosted in equal pace' instead of growing at a similar rate. Attempts at less common vocabulary are sparse and occasionally lead to unnatural phrasing. To reach a higher band, the writer needs to incorporate a wider and more precise range of vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', or 'significant growth', while avoiding repetitive words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The grammatical structures used are somewhat limited, relying heavily on simple or poorly controlled complex sentences. There are frequent grammatical errors that can cause difficulty for the reader, including missing articles ('at highest number', 'agriculture sector', 'Remaining the agriculture sector'), incorrect preposition use or gerund forms ('starting at 15 million increased until 1980 and started falling'), and punctuation oversights. Attempts at complex clauses often result in awkward syntax, such as 'Firstly the manufacturing sector starting at 15 million increased until 1980 and started falling till 2020.' To improve, the writer must focus on foundational grammar accuracy, particularly subject-verb agreement, accurate use of articles, and proper verb tense consistency when describing past statistical trends.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.