Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The given line chart illustrates the information about the jobs count in four different sectors of the economy in the US during the period of 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the graph showing number of jobs in four major sectors like healthcare, agriculture, retail and manufacturing indusries. The economy in the helathcare and retail job are continuely growing than other two jobs manufacturing and agriculture.

The jobs in helathcare and retail economy started in 1960, from around about two percent and upto five percent respctively. In 1980, the jobs number in the economy of the US was five and ten percent. But in 2000, both industries hired more employes in these sectors and finally in 2020, the employment rate in the economy was upto fifteen percent.

On another side, in the department of agriculture and manufacturing the rate of employment in 1960 was upto five and fifteen percent. Then in next few years the economy in these two sectors fluctuated and consistently fall down. At the end, in 2020 the poverty of US was below to five percent in agriculture moreover down to fifteen percent in production department.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the four sectors and give a broad overview that healthcare and retail rose while agriculture and manufacturing declined overall. You also include some relevant figures, such as manufacturing at 20 million in 1980 and agriculture at about 3 million in 1980 and 2000. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the chart measures jobs in millions, not percentages, and healthcare and retail both reached about 16 million in 2020, rather than 15. The opening values for retail and agriculture are also reversed, and the claim that manufacturing fluctuated and consistently fell misses its rise to a peak in 1980. Focus on accurate units and the main turning points to make the summary more complete and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping the rising and declining sectors. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the body is sometimes difficult to follow. For example, “started in 1960” does not clearly explain what happened to the two sectors, and “in next few years” is vague when the chart gives four specific years. Linking phrases such as “But” and “On another side” are used, but the relationships between comparisons and changes are not always clear. Organise each body paragraph chronologically and use precise references to the years and sectors so the comparisons connect more smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-related vocabulary, including “employment,” “industries,” and “fluctuated,” and you attempt to vary how you describe the sectors. However, word choice and spelling errors are noticeable and sometimes make the meaning harder to interpret. Phrases such as “jobs count,” “the poverty of US,” and “employment rate” are unsuitable or misleading for a chart showing numbers of jobs. There are also misspellings such as “indusries,” “helathcare,” and “respctively.” Use standard terms such as “number of jobs,” “employment,” and “manufacturing sector,” and check spelling carefully. More precise vocabulary for trends would help you describe rises, falls, and peaks without relying on vague wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a contrast introduced by “But” and a time sequence using “Then.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. The overview sentence “Overall, the graph showing number of jobs…” is incomplete because it lacks a main verb. In “the jobs number … was five and ten percent,” the sentence structure does not clearly connect the figures to the sectors. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and verb forms, as in “the economy in the healthcare and retail job are continuely growing.” Practise complete subject–verb sentences and consistent past-tense descriptions, while keeping comparisons grammatically parallel.

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.