Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph illustrates the trend regarding the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, it is clear that agriculture and healthcare sectors in the US economy sectors have significantly rose in number of jobs. Whereas, manufacturing gradually increased till 1980 and then a major decline can be observed. Last, but not the least, retail sector never progressed over the same period of time.

In 1960, manufacturing sector with 15 million jobs was highest in numbers and till 1980 it demonstrated a major growth with 5 million jobs increased in this sector. After that, it tied down to nearly 14 million in 2020 which was still higher than agriculture sector. On the other hand, agriculture sector had about 6 million jobs which were reduced to 3 million and then onward stayed constant till 2000. In 2020, it droped to 2 million with the lowest number of jobs among all the 4 sectors.

In contrast, healthcare was the sector which had the lowest number of jobs in 1960 and constantly rose till it reached approxamitily 16 million in 2020 which was equal to retail sector in 2020. We can observe a gradual increase in number of jobs over the same time period in both retail and healthcare sectors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important patterns, including manufacturing’s peak in 1980, agriculture’s overall decline, and healthcare’s rise to 16 million jobs. However, the overview contains a major misreading: retail did progress, increasing from 6 million to 16 million, rather than “never progressed.” The report also omits retail’s key intermediate figures and does not clearly compare its growth with healthcare’s; saying both rose gradually overlooks their different starting points and rates. Some figures are imprecise, such as manufacturing at “nearly 14 million” in 2020, but the more important issue is incomplete and sometimes inaccurate coverage of the main trends. A more accurate overview and fuller comparison of all four sectors would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. The paragraphs generally group related sectors, and phrases such as “On the other hand” and “In contrast” help signal comparisons. However, progression is weakened by the inaccurate overview and by the limited treatment of retail, which is mentioned mainly at the end rather than developed alongside its trend. Some linking phrases feel mechanical or do not express the relationship clearly, as in “Last, but not the least,” while “After that” leaves the timing of manufacturing’s decline rather vague. Organise the details around clear comparisons and use transitions that precisely show contrast, sequence, or similarity.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “trend,” “decline,” “constant,” and “gradual increase,” so the main information is usually understandable. There are, however, noticeable word-choice and collocation problems that reduce precision: “tied down” is not suitable for a falling figure, “never progressed” misdescribes retail, and “major growth with 5 million jobs increased” is awkward. Spelling errors such as “droped” and “approxamitily” also affect accuracy. Choose standard chart language and check spelling carefully; for example, describe figures as rising, falling, remaining stable, or reaching a peak. More precise vocabulary would help distinguish the sectors’ different patterns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses beginning “Whereas” and “which,” and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. However, errors occur in sentence construction and agreement. “Agriculture and healthcare sectors … have significantly rose” combines an incorrect verb form with faulty agreement, while “manufacturing sector with 15 million jobs was highest in numbers” lacks a natural grammatical structure. The sentence beginning “Whereas” is a fragment, and “In 2020, it droped” uses an incorrect past-tense form. Work on complete sentence formation, subject–verb agreement, and consistent past-tense reporting. These corrections would make the comparisons clearer and more controlled.

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