Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
This graph provides the information of jobs in various sectors of economy in US between years 1960 to 2020.
As we can see in the year 1960 manufacturing sector is leading with the 15 million of jobs and unfortunately health sector is on the last with just 2 million of jobs.
From the year 1960 there is rapid increase in the retail sector that crosses the manufacturing jobs and reached to 16 million by the year 2020 and from the year 1980 we can see a gradu6 declined in the manufacturing jobs that were on 20 million in 1989 but in 2020 there are just 12 million jobs.
However there is no such fluctuation in agricultural jobs in 1960 there are 6 million jobs in agricultural sector and then decrease to 1 million in the year 2020 but in the year 2020 both, healthcare and retail sectors are leading with the highest number of jobs.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the main features of the graph, presenting an overview of the four sectors across the period. However, some parts of the task are only partially addressed, and there are inaccuracies in the data reported, such as stating that manufacturing jobs were at 20 million in 1989 (whereas the chart shows 1980) and misreporting the 2020 figure as 12 million instead of approximately 13 million. Furthermore, agricultural jobs are stated to have decreased to 1 million, whereas the graph indicates they remained around 2 million in 2020. The selection of data lacks full development, resulting in a somewhat limited summary that misses a clearer, more precise overview of the overall trends.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response displays some organization with a basic overall arrangement, breaking the description down across paragraphs. However, there is a lack of clear progression and overall cohesion. Cohesive devices are used rather repetitively and mechanically, with phrases like 'As we can see' and 'From the year 1960' starting multiple sentences. Paragraphing is also somewhat arbitrary rather than structurally logical, grouping multiple distinct trends together. The referencing between sentences is occasionally unclear, which disrupts the logical flow and makes it harder for the reader to follow the progression of the data smoothly.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The lexical resource is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic information about the economic sectors. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'fluctuation' and 'sectors of economy', but this is accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'gradu6 declined' and the omission of necessary articles. Collocations are sometimes awkward, for example saying the health sector is 'on the last' instead of 'at the bottom' or 'lowest'. These vocabulary and spelling errors do not completely impede communication, but they cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by basic connectors. Attempts at more complex structures are often faulty, featuring missing verbs, run-on structures, and awkward phrasing such as 'in 1960 there are 6 million jobs in agricultural sector and then decrease'. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('manufacturing sector is leading') and missing prepositions and articles. While the meaning can generally be discerned, these persistent grammatical errors cause noticeable difficulty for the reader.
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