Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-08

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 provides data about number of emplyment in four different sectors of the financial situation in the US over a period of 60 years between 1960 to 2020. The data is measured in millions.

overall it is clear that retail and health increase gradually whereas the manufacturing drop suddenly and the rate of agriculture levelled off.

In year 1960 to 1980 only agriculture industry fall and other three fields rise gradually. By year 1980 to 2000 retail and health clime sharply and manufacturing falls steadly and agriculture are same. recently between 2000 and 2020 manufacturing divison decrease and retail and healthcare following the increasing trend while the agriculture droped.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the graph’s subject and report the broad direction of change in each sector, including manufacturing’s decline after 1980 and agriculture’s overall fall. However, the overview is not fully accurate: retail and healthcare do not both increase gradually, as healthcare rises particularly sharply from 1980 to 2020. The response also omits key comparisons and most figures, such as manufacturing being the largest sector in 1980 and retail and healthcare both reaching about 16 million by 2020. Several trends are only briefly stated, so the main features remain underdeveloped. The response is 111 words, below the required 150; this limits how fully you can summarise and compare the data. Include a fuller overview and support it with selected figures and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological account of changes. Time markers such as “By year 1980 to 2000” and “between 2000 and 2020” help the reader follow the periods. However, the paragraphing is limited, and the account reads as a series of compressed statements rather than a clearly developed comparison. The links between ideas are sometimes awkward, particularly “recently between 2000 and 2020,” and the overview does not clearly prepare the reader for the details that follow. Organise the body into clearer stages or group sectors with similar trends, and use linking phrases to show contrasts and comparisons rather than relying mainly on time markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “increase,” “falls,” “levelled off,” and “increasing trend,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings are inaccurate, which makes parts of the report less clear. For example, “number of emplyment” is not a natural way to describe the figures, while “clime sharply” appears to mean “climb sharply.” “Financial situation” is also an imprecise description of the sectors shown. Aim for accurate, task-specific terms such as “number of jobs,” “employment,” “rose,” “declined,” and “remained stable.” Check spelling and collocations carefully, especially when using less familiar trend vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, and the reader can usually identify the intended trends. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors occur frequently in basic grammar, sometimes making relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Examples include “between 1960 to 2020,” where the preposition pattern is incorrect, “In year 1960 to 1980,” which lacks an article and a clear time construction, and “agriculture are same,” where subject–verb agreement is faulty. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in the lowercase “overall” after the first sentence. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and complete sentence patterns, then proofread articles, agreement, prepositions, and sentence boundaries.

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