Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02
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 below illustrate the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.
This graph shows number of jobs in four sectors of Manufacturing,Retail,Agriculture and healthcare. In this paragraph we see the increasing jobs in healthcare and retail sectors. And decrease in manufacturing and agriculture.
First of all the graph shows gradually increase in healrh care jobs in US from 1960 to 2020. From 1960 to 1980 there were 5 million jobs, about 11 millions 2000 and in 2020 it was on peak with 15 millions.
In second sector of retail there were 5 to 10 millions from 1960 to1980 and almost remains same in 2000 to 2020 with 15 millions.
In third sector jobs in US were 15 to 20 millions of manufacturing sector from 1960 to 1980 and gradually decrease with about 16 millions to 14 millions from 2000 to 2020.
Ans lastly in agricultural sector there were decrese from 5 million to about 4 million in 1960 to 1980 and suddenely decrease in 2000 to 2020 with 3 and 2 millions
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the task partially. While the student attempts to report on all four sectors, the overview provided in the second paragraph is underdeveloped and disjointed. Furthermore, there are several inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, the student states that healthcare had '5 million jobs' from 1960 to 1980, whereas the graph shows it starting at approximately 2 million in 1960 and rising to 5 million in 1980. The details given for other sectors also contain imprecise or confused figures. To move to a higher band, the writer needs to provide a clearer, more accurate summary of the main trends without misrepresenting the data points from the visual.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates some organization, but lacks a clear overall progression. The essay is broken into very short, fragmented paragraphs—some consisting of only a single sentence—which disrupts the natural flow of ideas. Transitional phrases such as 'First of all' and 'Ans lastly' are somewhat mechanical, and referencing between sentences is occasionally unclear, making it hard to follow the comparisons. To improve cohesion, the student should group related information logically, use a wider and more natural range of cohesive devices, and ensure paragraphs are structured properly with clear topic sentences.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student successfully uses basic sector names like 'manufacturing', 'retail', 'agriculture', and 'healthcare', but there are noticeable errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'healrh care' and 'decrese'. Attempts to describe trends rely heavily on repetitive language like 'jobs' and 'millions'. To achieve a higher score, the student needs to incorporate a broader range of vocabulary, including less common lexical items related to data trends, and pay closer attention to spelling and word forms to prevent communication strain.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures. Most sentences are simple or attempt complex forms that are faulty, such as 'In third sector jobs in US were 15 to 20 millions of manufacturing sector...' Frequent grammatical errors are present, including missing articles ('in agricultural sector', 'in US'), subject-verb agreement issues ('This graph show...'), and incorrect prepositions. These errors occur frequently and can occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To progress, the student must work on foundational grammar rules, improve control over basic sentence patterns, and reduce the frequency of errors.
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.