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 bar graph illustrates the information about the number of employess in four types of the economy in america between 1960 and 2020.it shows jobs in millions along its y axis and describes years along x axis.

The highest, Ratio was manufacturing in 1980 and the least % was agriculture in 2020.The other department was average sometimes they increases and some of time they decrease.

Overall, Manufacturing department was at highest in 1980 and the its % 20%. Retail department went up steadily and there is no decrease in its flow it started form 5% in 1960 and rose to 16% in 2020.

In agriculture, it started from 6% in 1960 and then started decreasing and stay constant in next two decade approximetly 3%. And the last one is, Healthcare it started at around 2% in 1960 and that is shown increase in next 20 years, In 2020 it went upto 15%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially, as the visual aid is incorrectly identified as a bar graph rather than a line graph, and the unit of measurement is confused with percentages throughout the text (e.g., "its % 20%" and "16%"). While the key features of the four sectors are touched upon, the lack of accurate data reporting and misunderstanding of the graph type limit the development of ideas. To reach a higher level, the response needs to accurately interpret the visual data without confusing millions of jobs with percentages, and present a clearer overview of the main trends across the entire time period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay displays some organizational structure with the use of paragraph breaks, but there is no clear overall progression of ideas, and the placement of the overview is unconventional. Cohesive devices are minimal, repetitive, or mechanically used, such as starting multiple sentences with "it started from". Paragraphing is attempted, but ideas within paragraphs are disjointed. To improve, the student should ensure a logical flow of information, place a distinct and accurate overview early in the response, and use a wider variety of cohesive links smoothly to connect related points about the economic sectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task, with noticeable errors such as misspelling "employees" and "approximately", and repeatedly misusing percentage signs instead of millions. Word choices are basic, and attempts at less common terminology are hampered by inaccuracy. To progress, the student needs to build a stronger repertoire of task-specific vocabulary related to data trends and ensure correct word forms and spelling. Developing precision in reporting economic data will greatly enhance lexical adequacy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response features a very limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences with frequent punctuation and capitalization errors, such as missing spaces after periods and lowercase starting letters. Attempts at complex or compound structures often contain errors, including run-on sentences like "The highest, Ratio was manufacturing in 1980 and the least % was agriculture in 2020.The other department was...". Frequent errors in basic grammar, articles, and verb tenses cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the student must demonstrate a wider variety of grammatical structures with improved control and accuracy.

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