Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-05

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 given graph presents information on the number of jobs present in four different sectors of the economy in the United States of America between the years 1960 to 2020

Overall, the given graphs present information about different sectors present in America's economy: manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare. The data is presented for four different years; over the period, retail and agriculture showed a rise in job opportunities, and on the other hand, the manufacturing and healthcare sectors presented fewer opportunities.

In the years 1960 to 1980, the majority of the sectors showed an increase in the job market, while only the agriculture field job market dropped below 5 million jobs. Between the years 1980 and 2000, the retail and healthcare job market went up by 5 million, and the agricultural sector's market didn't fluctuate, stabilizing around 3 to 4 million jobs. Only the manufacturing job market fell around 17 million. In 2020, the job market had changed in comparison with the 1960s market; the job opportunities in the manufacturing industry significantly dropped, currently resting at 13 million. Retail and healthcare jobs shot up till 16 million, while agriculture jobs dropped to 2 to 3 million.

The highest number of jobs available was in 1980, produced by the manufacturing industry, although after 1980 it showed a significant decline in job availability. The lowest number job available was in 2020, produced by the agriculture industry; as years passed, this sector's job opportunities fell.

Retail and healthcare industry jobs availability went up drastically, while in the end giving same number job opportunities to the US citizens

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main parts of the task by attempting to report data for all four sectors of the economy. However, there are notable inaccuracies and contradictions in the data reporting. For instance, the overview incorrectly states that manufacturing and healthcare sectors presented fewer opportunities over the period, whereas healthcare actually rose dramatically from 2 million to 16 million jobs. Furthermore, the body paragraphs contain sweeping generalisations and misread figures, such as claiming that manufacturing fell around 17 million (when it fell to 17 million in 2000 from 20 million in 1980) and misstating the peak year. While the candidate attempts an overview, the lack of factual precision and some under-developed comparisons place the task response at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a basic overall arrangement with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding remark, showing some organisation of ideas. However, progression is not always clear, and the referencing between sentences can be repetitive or confusing. For instance, the opening overview is duplicated and partially contradicted in the very first two paragraphs. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas is somewhat loose, and cohesive devices are handled mechanically or inaccurately, such as relying heavily on time markers like 'In the years 1960 to 1980' and 'Between the years 1980 and 2000' without seamless integration. These structural limitations prevent the text from achieving a clearer, more logical flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate to communicate basic trends, employing terms like 'sector', 'economy', 'job market', and 'opportunities'. However, the range is limited and repetition occurs frequently, such as repeating 'job market' and 'job opportunities'. There are also instances of awkward word choice and collocation, such as 'production of jobs by an industry' rather than jobs being generated or provided, and 'giving same number job opportunities'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are sometimes imprecise, leading to minor errors in word choice that do not entirely impede communication, yet reflect a restricted lexical flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to vary sentence structures with time clauses and relative constructs. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in prepositions and articles, such as 'in the years 1960 to 2020' instead of 'from 1960 to 2020', 'the agriculture field job market', and missing plural forms or incorrect noun phrases like 'lowest number job available'. While these errors rarely completely obscure the intended meaning, their frequency and the occasional faulty complex structure mean that error-free sentences are not sustained consistently throughout the text.

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