Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-11

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 demonstrates the behaviour of number jobs in four dominant sectors of economy over the period of time. The period considered are from 1960 to 2020. The representation is done between number of jobs in million and the subsequent years.

As the chart suggests the manufacturing sector observed it peak during 1980 and the lowest drop in 2020. The agriculture sector boomed during 1960 but went downhill from 1980 to 2000s. The healthcare on other hand rose steadily and reached its peak in 2020. The retail sector boomed during 1960s to 1980s but lost its growth during 2000s to 2020s. When observed closely the manufacturing remained on the top of all sectors in case of jobs in millions but lost its peak to both healthcare and retail.

Therefore the conclusion can be made as the agricultural sector lost its growth throughout the years on other hand the healthcare moved sharply and achieved the immense growth as compared to others.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important patterns: manufacturing peaks in 1980, agriculture declines, and healthcare rises to its highest level by 2020. However, some comparisons are inaccurate or unclear. Retail did not lose growth in the later period; it continued to rise, from about 15 million jobs in 2000 to 16 million in 2020. Manufacturing was not the top sector throughout: by 2020, healthcare and retail were both around 16 million, above manufacturing at about 13 million. The overview also says agriculture “boomed” in 1960, although it was level with retail at roughly 6 million and then fell. Report the main trends more precisely and include key figures to support them.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph describing trends, and a concluding summary. This makes the main topic and broad direction of several series easy to follow. However, the body groups all four sectors into one paragraph, and the conclusion largely repeats the earlier points rather than adding a clear synthesis. Some linking phrases, such as “When observed closely” and “Therefore,” feel mechanical, while “on other hand” does not clearly connect the contrast. Organise the details into clearer comparisons—for example, rising sectors together and declining sectors together—and use reference words and transitions that make the relationships between trends explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “observed its peak,” “rose steadily,” and “achieved the immense growth,” and the reader can generally understand the intended trends. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for describing a graph: “behaviour of number jobs,” “boomed,” “lost its growth,” and “moved sharply” do not convey the data accurately. “Dominant sectors” is also not a suitable description of the four categories. Prefer standard, precise trend language such as “the number of jobs,” “increased,” “declined,” and “reached a peak.” More accurate collocations would make the report clearer and reduce the impression of limited control over vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple statements and some longer structures, such as “When observed closely the manufacturing remained on the top of all sectors … but lost its peak…,” showing an attempt to vary sentence forms. However, some grammatical errors recur and occasionally make relationships unclear. For example, “The period considered are” has subject–verb disagreement, and “The healthcare on other hand” is missing an article and punctuation around the linking phrase. In “the manufacturing sector observed it peak,” the possessive form is needed, while “the agricultural sector lost its growth throughout the years on other hand” needs clearer clause structure and punctuation. Check articles, agreement, possessives, and sentence boundaries, and aim for accurate complex sentences rather than joining several ideas loosely.

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