Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-07

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 line graph compares the number of jobs in four sectors of US economy, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing had a highest number of jobs in begining of the period. In constrast, employment in retail and healthcare increased considerably. Agriculture showed a slight decline and had fewest number of jobs in compare to others employment.

In 1960, manufacturing sectors had provided 15 million jobs whereas retail and agriculture sectors provided same number of employment which was is 6 millions. And retail sectors has given fewest number of job which was about 2 millions.

In 1980, manufacturing was rose from 15 million to 20 million where retail and healthcare was went up 6 million to 10 million and 2 million to 5 million respectively. In 2020 manufacturing slight down.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the four sectors and give a relevant overview: manufacturing starts highest, retail and healthcare rise, and agriculture declines. However, the report is incomplete and contains a significant data error: you say retail and agriculture both had six million jobs in 1960, then incorrectly describe retail as having the fewest, when healthcare was lowest at about two million. The 2000 figures and most of the 2020 comparisons are omitted; “manufacturing slight down” does not report its endpoint or compare it with the sectors that reached about 16 million. The response is also 23 words below the required minimum. To make the summary more complete, cover the main changes across all four years and check each figure against the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs organised around years. This gives the reader some sense of how the information is arranged. However, progression is limited: the final paragraph jumps from 1980 directly to a brief statement about 2020, leaving the 2000 data unreported. Linking is also sometimes awkward or repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “In 1960” and “In 1980,” while “And” begins a sentence that continues the same comparison. The inaccurate statement about retail being the lowest also disrupts the comparison. Grouping the trends by sector or by period, and using clearer links such as “by contrast” and “by 2020,” would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “compares,” “increased considerably,” “slight decline,” and “rose.” These choices show some range beyond simply listing figures, and the sector names are used appropriately. However, several word combinations and forms are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “a highest number,” “fewest number of jobs,” “same number of employment,” and “manufacturing slight down.” “Employment” is also repeated where “jobs” or “the number of jobs” would be clearer. Spelling errors such as “begining” and “constrast” are noticeable. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling; for example, describe a sector’s employment as “the lowest” rather than “fewest number of employment.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer comparisons, including a sentence linking the changes in manufacturing, retail and healthcare. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to process. Examples include “manufacturing sectors had provided,” “which was is 6 millions,” “retail sectors has given,” and “manufacturing was rose.” These show problems with tense, agreement, auxiliary verbs and sentence construction. The final fragment, “In 2020 manufacturing slight down,” is also missing a finite verb. Use straightforward past-tense forms consistently—for example, “manufacturing employment rose to 20 million”—and check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb.

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