Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 to 2020. The four sectors were: manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare. The number of jobs is mentioned in millions.

Overall, the opportunities in retail and healthcare gradually increased over time, whereas the opportunities in agriculture got plummated.

The line showing the manufacturing sector raised up in two decades. The number raised from 15 millions to 20 millions. Then, the opportunies in that sector drastically decreased from 20 millions to approximately 13 millions in 40 years. In 1960, healtcare opportunity was less than retail. However, eventually opportunities in both field increased. In 2020, people got same amount of opportunities in both fields. The number of jobs related to argiculture was always less than other fields. In 2020, less than 5 millions jobs were available in agriculture.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the four sectors and give a relevant overview: retail and healthcare rise, while agriculture declines. You also report the manufacturing peak at 20 million and its later fall, and note that agriculture remains the smallest sector. However, the overview is incomplete: it misses the key change that healthcare and retail both reach about 16 million by 2020, and that healthcare rises particularly sharply after 1980. Some details are imprecise: manufacturing falls to about 13 million by 2020, not simply over “40 years,” and agriculture is about 2 million then. The response contains 129 words, below the required 150, with 15 prompt words excluded from the count. Develop the comparisons and include a few more accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to selected details. This gives the reader a general sense of the graph, and words such as “Overall,” “Then,” and “However” help signal relationships. However, the body does not progress systematically through the series: it shifts from manufacturing to healthcare and then agriculture, while retail receives little separate treatment. Some links are also unclear, particularly “eventually opportunities in both field increased,” which does not specify the period or distinguish the two trends. Organise the details into clearer comparisons—for example, manufacturing and retail, followed by healthcare and agriculture—and use references that make each comparison explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “sectors,” “manufacturing,” “gradually increased,” and “decreased,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. “Opportunities” is used repeatedly where “jobs” or “employment” would describe the graph more precisely; “the line … raised up” is not a natural way to describe a trend, and “got plummated” is an incorrect form. There are also spelling errors in “opportunies,” “healtcare,” and “argiculture.” Aim for accurate trend verbs and vary them appropriately, while checking spelling and using the graph’s terminology consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You produce several understandable simple sentences and attempt some longer structures, such as “Overall … whereas …” and “In 1960 … However …”. Nevertheless, the range is limited, and errors occur often enough to make parts of the response awkward. The opening says “between 1960 to 2020” rather than using a consistent time construction, and “The number raised from 15 millions to 20 millions” has problems with the verb pattern and plural form. In “people got same amount,” the article is missing, while “both field increased” has an agreement and number error. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions, singular/plural forms, and articles, then combine related comparisons into controlled complex sentences.

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