Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-14

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 provided line graph illustrates the changes the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between the 1960 and 2000.

overall, it is evident that manufacturing sector remain the highest but saw a significant decline. Furthermore, while retail sector and healthcare experinced an upward trend.

In 1960, the number of jobs in healthcare was less than 5 percent but gradually it went up and 1980 it was just 5 percent. But with passage of time it went up and up and stayed highest in 2000 more than 15percent. This sector progressed a lot.

the contribution of retail sector was just above like 6percent in 1960, but it also did a lot of contribution in job sector and its contribution was also 15 percent in 2000.

So for so long manufacturing sector is concerned initially this sector has highest contribution but due to revolution this sector went down and in 2000 it was 12percent. the agriculture sector has lowest role in job sector ever from 1960 to 2000 it went down and down and was less than 2 percent role in job sector.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several relevant trends: manufacturing begins as the largest sector and declines, while retail and healthcare rise, and agriculture remains low. However, the account only partially covers the graph because it stops at 2000, although the chart continues to 2020. Some figures and comparisons are also inaccurate: healthcare reaches about 11 million in 2000, not more than 15, and manufacturing is about 17 million then, not 12. The overview says manufacturing “remain[s] the highest,” but by 2020 retail and healthcare are both around 16 million, above manufacturing at about 13 million. Include the final year and give a more accurate overview of the changing rankings.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure, with an opening, an overview and separate discussion of sectors, so the reader can identify the main topic. However, progression is uneven: healthcare and retail are discussed first, followed by manufacturing and agriculture, without a consistent comparison across the full period. Linking phrases such as “Furthermore,” “But with passage of time” and “So for so long” are either awkward or do not clearly show the relationship between ideas. The overview also does not prepare the reader for the later details. Grouping the rising sectors together and the declining sectors together, then comparing their 2020 figures, would create a clearer sequence and reduce repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “upward trend,” “significant decline” and “highest,” and the general subject remains understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or repetitive. “Contribution” is repeatedly used for the number of jobs, although the graph reports job totals; “role in job sector” is also unclear. Phrases such as “went up and up,” “did a lot of contribution” and “went down and down” are informal or unnatural for an academic summary. There are also spelling errors, including “experinced.” Use precise terms such as “number of jobs,” “rose steadily,” “fell gradually” and “remained the smallest sector” to describe the data more accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentences using contrast and time clauses, for example, “while retail sector and healthcare experinced an upward trend,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur frequently in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction: “manufacturing sector remain the highest” needs a correctly inflected verb, and “it went up and 1980” is missing a preposition and a complete time expression. The opening, “illustrates the changes the number of jobs,” also lacks a grammatical link such as “in.” Capitalisation at the start of sentences is inconsistent, and some sentences are fragments or awkwardly joined. Practise accurate simple comparisons first, then combine them with clauses using “while” or “whereas”.

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.