Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobbs across four economic seectors manufactuuriing, retai,healthcare and agriculturein United State between 1960 to 2020.

Overall, healthcare and retail experienced continuous, substantial upward trends over the 60 year period, eventually emerging as primary sourch of

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the graph’s subject and begins to report a relevant overall trend: healthcare and retail both rose over the period. However, it stops mid-sentence at “primary sourch of”, so the overview is incomplete and no specific figures, comparisons, or other key trends are reported. In particular, it does not describe manufacturing’s rise and subsequent decline or agriculture’s overall fall. The task requires at least 150 words, and this response is substantially below that minimum. To address the task more fully, complete the overview and add selected figures and comparisons for all four sectors, ensuring each statement is supported by the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence introduces the graph, followed by a separate overview beginning with “Overall”. This gives the reader a recognisable starting structure. However, the response ends abruptly in the middle of a phrase, leaving the overview unfinished and preventing any progression into supporting details. There are no further paragraphs or linking expressions to connect comparisons or developments. Complete each sentence and organise the report into an introduction, an overview, and one or two paragraphs describing the main trends. Use clear links such as “while” or “by contrast” to show how the sectors relate.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “line graph”, “economic sectors”, “continuous” and “upward trends”, so the topic is generally identifiable. However, spelling errors are frequent and sometimes make the text difficult to read: “jobbs”, “seectors”, “manufactuuriing”, “retai” and “sourch”. There are also awkward or incomplete expressions, such as “primary sourch of”, which does not communicate a finished comparison. Check spelling carefully and use precise phrases such as “number of jobs”, “employment in healthcare”, and “the leading sectors by 2020”. A wider range of accurate terms for rises, falls and comparisons would help make the report clearer and more appropriate to the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a simple present-tense introduction and a past-tense overview, and the sentence beginning “Overall” shows an effort to describe change across a period. However, grammatical control is limited in the available text. The opening uses the incorrect pattern “between 1960 to 2020”; use “between 1960 and 2020” or “from 1960 to 2020”. The phrase “in United State” also lacks the appropriate article and plural form (“in the United States”). The second sentence is unfinished, so its structure cannot be fully understood. Write complete sentences, check articles and prepositions, and vary sentence patterns when comparing the sectors.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.