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 tracks the number of job opportunities in four sectors of economy in US from 1960 to 2020.

In 1960, only 0.5v million jobs were available in healthcare while 15 million jobs in manufacturing which was highest, accounted 15 million. However, retail and agricultural jobs remained same, accounted 6 million. While, in 1980 when manufacturing, retails and healthcare sector jobs increased gradually, agricultural jobs faced a decreement , noted 0.5 million.

However, in 2000 healthcare and reatail jobs inclined at the same pace which was noted 11 million and 15 million respectively. While, agricultural and manufacturing jobs declined in 2000. But, in 2020 each job sector number rose except healthcare which only fell down.

Overall, the highest number of jobs were available in manufacturing sector while agricultural jobs wrere the lowest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the graph’s subject and mention several relevant trends, including manufacturing’s early lead and agriculture’s low figures. However, key data are substantially misreported: healthcare starts at about 2 million, not 0.5 million; agriculture falls from 6 to 3 million by 1980, not 0.5 million; and in 2020 manufacturing and agriculture decline while retail and healthcare rise, contrary to your claim that every sector except healthcare rose. The overview also incorrectly says manufacturing remained the highest throughout, although retail and healthcare both reach about 16 million in 2020. The response is under the required 150 words, limiting the detail available. Select the main trends accurately and support them with correct comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two chronological paragraphs and a concluding overview. This gives the reader some organisation, and time markers such as “In 1960,” “in 1980” and “in 2000” help indicate sequence. However, progression is weakened by repeated “However” and several sentence fragments beginning with “While,” which leave relationships between ideas unclear. The 2020 information is also difficult to follow because the claim that all sectors except healthcare rose conflicts with the earlier trend descriptions. Grouping the rising sectors together and the declining sectors together, then using clearer links such as “By contrast” and “Overall,” would make the comparisons more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “line graph,” “sector,” “increased,” and “declined,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, word choice and spelling errors are frequent enough to make parts awkward or unclear: “decreement,” “reatail,” and “wrere” are misspelled, while “jobs inclined” is not a natural way to describe a rise. “Job opportunities” also changes the graph’s meaning slightly, as it reports numbers of jobs rather than opportunities. Some phrases are repetitive, particularly “jobs” and “accounted.” Use accurate sector names and standard trend language, such as “employment rose,” “the figure stood at,” and “the number of jobs fell,” to improve precision and fluency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while” and “when.” However, complex constructions are often incomplete or poorly controlled, as in “While, in 1980 when … increased gradually, agricultural jobs faced…” and “While, agricultural and manufacturing jobs declined in 2000.” These fragments make the relationships between clauses difficult to follow. There are also recurring problems with articles, agreement and sentence structure, for example “four sectors of economy in US” and “which was highest, accounted 15 million.” The final sentence, “each job sector number rose except healthcare which only fell down,” is grammatically awkward and contradicts the data. Prefer complete, direct sentences and check clause boundaries, articles and subject–verb agreement.

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