Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-06

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 is the comparative line graph that shows the data of the numbers of jobs in the four sectors of the US economy from 1960 to 2020. On the X-axis there are the data available regarding the years from 1960 to 2020 and on the Y-axis there is the data available regarding jobs in millions in US across the different 4 sectors and such sectors are manufacturing, which is shows as straight line having small round in centre, then retail which is showed as dotted line and posseses triangle in centre, after that there is a agriculture sector which is shows as the dotted line and having square in the mid of the dotted line, and the last one is the healthcare sector which describe as dotted line and having diamond shape in the centre. From this graph, we can analyse that there are very high numbers of jobs were available in the manufacturing sectors from 1960 to 2000 but after that retail and healthcare sector were overtake the manufacturing sectors in terms of jobs. Also, retail and helthcare sector is continue growing since 1960, while jobs in agriculture sector is declinning since 1960.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to cover the task by identifying several main features, such as the initial dominance of manufacturing and the steady growth of retail and healthcare. However, the report lacks a clear overview and describes individual data points and visual line styles mechanically rather than synthesising the overarching trends effectively. Some details are slightly imprecise, reflecting a partial and somewhat under-developed approach to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text suffers from a lack of proper paragraphing, being presented as a single dense block of writing. While there are some basic attempts to connect ideas using cohesive phrases like 'after that' and 'while', the overall progression is weak and repetitive. Referencing and the flow of information are sometimes confusing, particularly in the overly descriptive introduction about axis labels and line markers, which disrupts the logical development of the response.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary is minimally adequate for the task, with a limited range that is frequently repetitive. The student successfully uses basic sector names like 'manufacturing', 'retail', 'agriculture', and 'healthcare', but attempts at less common phrasing or precise descriptions lead to noticeable lexical errors, such as 'helthcare' and 'declinning'. Word choices are sometimes awkward, but communication of the core message is still maintained despite these issues.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The range of grammatical structures is limited, relying heavily on basic, repetitive sentence patterns. When the student attempts more complex structures, frequent errors emerge, including issues with subject-verb agreement, article use, and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'data available regarding the years', 'jobs in millions in US across the different 4 sectors', 'is shows as'). These frequent grammatical errors cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving higher accuracy.

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