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 GRAPH ILLUSTRATES INFORMATION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN FOUR SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY: MANUFACTURING, RETAIL, AGRICULTURE, AND HEALTHCARE IN THE US BETWEEN 1960 AND 2020.
OVERALL, THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN ALL SECTORS HAD FLUCTUATED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD, WHILE THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN RETAIL AND AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REMAINED MORE STABLE COMAPRE TO OTHER TWO SECTORS.
TO BEGIN WITH, MANUFACTURING HAD 15 NUMBER OF JOBS IN 1960, WHICH INCREASED TO 20 NUMBER IN 1980. AFTER THAT, THE NUMBER GRADUALLY FELL TO AROUND 13 NUMBER IN 2020. FURTHERMORE, THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN RETAIL SECTOR CONTINUOUSLY INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD, BEGINNING WITH 6 NUMBER IN 1960 TO ENDS WITH 16 NUMBER IN 2020. SIMILARLY, THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ALSO INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BEGINNING WITH 3 NUMBER IN 1960 TO ENDS WITH 16 NUMBER IN 2020. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN HEALTHCARE SECTOR DECREASED FROM 6 TO AROUND 3 THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5
The response attempts to address the prompt by reporting information on the four sectors from the graph, but it suffers from severe factual inaccuracies that undermine task completion. For instance, the student states that the agricultural sector increased from 3 million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020, whereas the graph clearly shows a decrease from 6 million down to 2 million. Similarly, the healthcare sector is described as decreasing from 6 to around 3, while the visual data actually shows a substantial rise from 2 million to 16 million. Furthermore, the overview is confused, incorrectly claiming that retail and agriculture remained stable compared to others. Due to these significant misinterpretations and inaccurate reporting of data trends, the task is addressed only partially, placing this criterion at the lower band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response exhibits basic organizational structure with clear paragraphing, separating the introduction, overview, and body details. However, the overall progression is hindered by factual confusion and mechanical transitions such as 'to begin with' and 'furthermore.' Cohesive devices are used, but referencing is sometimes problematic, and the connection of ideas lacks smooth logical flow. While there is a clear attempt to structure an Academic Task 1 response, the inaccurate representation of data disrupts the logical sequencing of the information, aligning the performance with a moderate band for cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, frequently relying on simple phrases like 'the number of jobs in' instead of varied synonyms. There are also noticeable lexical and reporting errors, such as using '15 number of jobs' instead of '15 million jobs' or '15 million positions'. Other vocabulary choices, such as 'comapre' (a spelling error) and imprecise tracking of data points, limit the lexical range. The vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic concepts about the economy, but frequent reliance on rudimentary phrasing and awkward collocation keeps the score at this level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response makes use of a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over past and present tense structures (e.g., 'had fluctuated', 'increased', 'fell'). However, there are notable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout the text, such as 'ends with 16 number in 2020' (instead of ending at or ending with 16 million) and incorrect prepositions or missing elements in comparative structures. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while basic sentences are mostly clear, errors in verb complements and article usage persist, reflecting typical characteristics of this grammatical band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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