Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09
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 graph illustrates details about the number jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.
Overall , manufactring was the highest number of jobs in 1980 . While , agriculture is the lowest number of jobs in 2020 .
Manufacturing rosed significantly in 1980 , and it was receding in 2020 , which reached 14 millions jobs . In contrast , retail started around 6 millions jobs , and it was rose significantly to 16 millions jobs in 2020 . As a result , in 2020 , retail was the highest number of jobs.
Agriculture started with 6 millions jobs in 1980 , and it was receding to 3 millions of jobs in 2020 . while, healthcare was rose significantly to reach 16 millions of jobs in 2020 . Therefore , we can say that healthcare was the highest number of jobs in 2020 .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the broad pattern that manufacturing peaks around 1980 and agriculture is the smallest sector by 2020, and you report several relevant figures. However, the account is only partial: the overview does not clearly compare the sectors’ overall trajectories, and the final-year ranking is contradictory. You say retail was highest in 2020, then say healthcare was highest; the chart shows both at about 16 million. There is also a significant date error: agriculture began at about 6 million in 1960, not 1980. The response contains 141 words, below the required 150, so it needs a little more relevant detail to meet the task requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has a basic structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the sectors, and phrases such as “In contrast” and “Therefore” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, progression is not consistently clear: the two different claims about which sector was highest in 2020 are not reconciled, and the agriculture and healthcare information is joined in a way that makes the comparison difficult to follow. Some linking words are used mechanically or inaccurately, including “While” at the start of a fragment. Organise the body by clear comparisons or time periods, and use each paragraph to develop one connected set of trends. This would make the relationships between the figures easier to understand.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “significantly,” “started,” and “reached,” so the main trends can generally be understood. However, the range is limited and several noticeable word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors reduce precision. Examples include “number jobs,” “manufactring,” “receding” for a downward trend, and “the highest number of jobs,” which does not naturally describe a sector’s figure. Repeated use of “significantly” also makes the description less precise, particularly where the chart gives approximate values. Build a wider set of accurate trend expressions and check spelling and common collocations before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and linked sentences, but the range is limited and errors occur frequently, sometimes making relationships between events unclear. For example, “it was rose significantly” uses an incorrect verb form, while “Agriculture started with 6 millions jobs in 1980” has problems with the plural form and the time reference. The opening also omits an article in “the number jobs,” and punctuation around “Overall” and “While” is inconsistent. Practise forming accurate past-tense statements, especially active forms such as “rose” and “fell,” and check articles, singular/plural nouns, and sentence boundaries. Clearer control of these basics will make your comparisons easier to follow.
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.