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 number of Jobs in four sectors of USA from duration of 4 years varies with fields. First we discuss number of Jobs in the field of manufacturing which varies with passage of time. The average calculation for the year 1960 , the number of Jobs offered were approximate 15 million. And in 1980 they increases to 20 millions, but in 2000 they reduce to 18 millions and then to 13 millions. Second the number of Jobs in the field of Retail increases with the time. In 1960 they were 6 millions then 10, 15 and finally 16 millions in 2020. In agriculture they were almost consistent having minor changing approximately from 2.5 to 2.4 jobs from 160 to 2020. In healthcare the number of jobs increases every year . In 1960 these were 2.5 million, 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and finally 15 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response attempts to cover all four economic sectors shown in the line graph, but the information reported contains numerous inaccuracies regarding the data. For instance, the student states that agriculture jobs ranged from '2.5 to 2.4' millions from '160 to 2020' (a significant numerical and clerical error), and misinterprets the healthcare figures. The overview is also weak and lacks a clear summary of overall trends. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed, with limited and underdeveloped ideas that fail to accurately capture the main features and comparisons of the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation in the report, with separate sentences attempting to address different sectors of the economy. However, there is no clear overall progression or logical structure guiding the reader through the data. Cohesive devices are very basic and repetitive, heavily relying on mechanical transitions such as 'First we discuss', 'Second', and 'In agriculture'. Paragraphing is virtually nonexistent, as the entire response is lumped into a single block of text, which significantly impairs the flow and readability of the writing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task. The student attempts some topic-related vocabulary like 'manufacturing', 'retail', 'agriculture', and 'healthcare', but struggles with word choice and numerical precision. There are noticeable lexical errors, such as using 'duration of 4 years' and awkward phrasing like 'minor changing'. While communication is not entirely blocked, the restricted range of vocabulary and frequent lexical inaccuracies prevent the response from achieving a higher level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with repetitive subjects and verbs. When the student attempts more complex constructions, errors frequently occur, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('they increases', 'they reduce') and tense inconsistencies. Frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization (e.g., 'Jobs'), and prepositions are also present throughout the text, causing some difficulty for the reader and reflecting a lack of control over basic grammatical forms.

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.