Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-03

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)

The line graph illustrates the the number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy - manufacturing, retails, agriculture and healthcare between 1960 to 2020.

Overall. Manufacturing was the largest source of employment at the begining of the period, but its figure declined after reaching a peak in 1980. In contrast, employment in retail and healthcare increased substantially, with both sectors having around 16 million jobs by 2020.

In 1960, manufacturing employed approximately 15 million people which is more than the other three sectors, each of other accounted for about 6 million or fewer. Manufacturing than rose a peak of 20 million in 1980 beafore falling steadily around 17 million in 2000 and13 million in 2020.

Retail employment followed the opposite direction. It increased consistantly from about 6 million

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response partially addresses the task requirements by identifying some main trends, such as the peak and subsequent decline in manufacturing jobs and the growth in healthcare and retail. However, the text is incomplete and trails off mid-sentence due to not meeting the minimum word count of 150 words. The overview touches upon key features, but the incomplete nature of the response means that comparisons and final data points are omitted, limiting the development of the task. To improve, ensure all key trends are fully articulated and the text meets the required length.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic logical structure with an introduction, an overview paragraph, and the beginning of body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast' and 'Overall' are attempted, but referencing and progression are sometimes awkward, such as the punctuation error 'Overall. Manufacturing' instead of a comma. Paragraphing is initiated but disrupted by the sudden termination of the text. To reach a higher level, ensure that sentences are fully connected across clear paragraphs and that cohesive markers are used accurately to guide the reader through the data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary relevant to the visual data, including terms like 'employment', 'sector', 'peak', and 'decline'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors, such as misspelling 'retails' instead of 'retail', 'begining' instead of 'beginning', and typographical/spelling issues like 'than' instead of 'then' and 'beafore' instead of 'before'. These errors indicate a limited control over spelling and word forms. To improve, pay closer attention to word choices, plurals, and correct spelling of key terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response shows a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent grammatical errors. Examples include article misuse ('the the number'), missing verbs or awkward phrasing ('each of other accounted for'), and poor prepositional use ('falling steadily around 17 million' instead of 'to around'). The attempts at complex structures are often faulty. Frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the grammar from meeting higher descriptors. To improve, focus on sentence construction, article usage, and accurate prepositional phrases.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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