Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-12

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 below illustrates data on number of jobs in four sectors, (manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare) of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, graph shows substantial growth in manufacturing in 1980 on decrease constantly after that. where as the growth in retail and agriculture sectors kept increasing and shows moderate growth in 2020. On the other hand health care department contributes very low in the US economy.

In 1960, manufacturing jobs kept increasing to 15 millions in 1960. However, it peaked in 1980 to 20 million which is considerably higher among other mentioned sectors. Subsequently, manufacturing sector gradually decresed at around 17 million in 2020 and around 13 million in 2020

Retail and agriculture increases gradually starting at 2 million employment in agriculture and 6 million employment in retail sector and both peaked at around 15 million in 2020.

Healthcare contributes equally to retail sector, although it kept decreasing making it lowest contributor in US economy among all these sectors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the four sectors and attempts an overview, but several central trends are misreported, which leaves the summary only minimally successful. Manufacturing did not grow continuously after 1960: it rose from 15 million to 20 million by 1980, then fell to 13 million by 2020; the response gives two different 2020 figures and says it peaked in 1980 without clearly describing the later decline. Retail increased, but agriculture declined rather than increased. Healthcare rose substantially from 2 million to 16 million, so describing it as a very low contributor and as decreasing reverses the chart’s main pattern. To improve, select the major rises and falls accurately and compare the sectors’ positions at the beginning and end.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation: an opening sentence is followed by an overview and then paragraphs covering manufacturing and the other sectors. Basic linking words such as “However,” “Subsequently,” and “On the other hand” show an attempt to connect information. However, progression is weakened by contradictory or unclear statements, including the two different manufacturing figures for 2020 and the claim that healthcare both contributes equally to retail and is the lowest contributor. The overview also groups agriculture with rising sectors even though it declined. Use one clear paragraph for the overview and organise details by meaningful trends, checking that each sentence follows logically from the previous one. Clearer referencing and more accurate links between comparisons would make the report easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some relevant chart vocabulary, including “peaked,” “gradually,” “contributes,” and “employment,” and the sector names are generally clear. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing the data. “Growth in retail and agriculture sectors kept increasing” misrepresents agriculture’s decline, while “health care department” is not a natural label for an economic sector. Repetition of “sector” and “contributes” also limits precision. Aim to use a wider set of accurate trend terms, such as “rose,” “fell,” “remained stable,” and “ended at,” and choose nouns such as “number of jobs” or “employment” rather than describing sectors as contributors when reporting figures.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a mixture of simple and longer sentences, including contrast clauses beginning “However” and “although,” but control is inconsistent. Errors include the missing article in “Overall, graph shows,” the fragment-like transition “where as the growth…,” and the malformed comparison “both peaked at around 15 million,” which does not clearly identify the subjects or year. Tense and sentence construction also become difficult to follow in “manufacturing jobs kept increasing to 15 millions in 1960.” Punctuation is uneven, particularly the comma after the introductory description and the full stop before “where as.” Use complete, carefully punctuated sentences and check articles, plural forms, and verb patterns; this will make the intended comparisons clearer.

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.