Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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 4.0)

The given line graphs reveals a significant shift in the employment in four major sectors of the U.S economy between 1960 to 2020.

The graphs clearly unfolds the progession of manufacturing sector at the top beacuse this sector has created 15 million employment followed by the retailing and healthcare sector which

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the topic and time period, and it begins to report a relevant feature: manufacturing had 15 million jobs in 1960 and was initially the largest sector. However, the account stops mid-sentence after “followed by the retailing and healthcare sector,” so it does not provide a complete summary, a clear overview of the main changes, or meaningful comparisons across the four sectors. The chart shows manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 before declining, while retail and healthcare rise and agriculture falls; none of these developments is explained. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. Develop a complete overview and support it with accurate comparisons and key figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence introduces the chart, followed by a sentence beginning to describe manufacturing. The phrase “followed by” also signals a comparison. However, the response ends abruptly at “which,” leaving the second sentence incomplete and preventing any logical progression through the data. There are no developed paragraphs or clear sequence of overview and supporting details, and the reader cannot tell how the other sectors compare over time. To improve, use a short introduction and overview, then group the details into a logical sequence—for example, rising sectors together and declining manufacturing and agriculture together—and complete each sentence.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant topic vocabulary, including “employment,” “manufacturing sector,” and “retail,” so the subject is recognisable. However, the range is very limited because the response is so brief, and several choices or forms are inaccurate: “employment” is not the most natural way to describe the chart’s count of jobs, while “retailing” is less suitable than “retail” as a sector label. Spelling errors such as “progession” and “beacuse” also reduce accuracy. Use precise chart language such as “the number of jobs,” “rose,” “declined,” and “remained stable,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a complex sentence with “followed by,” but the sentence is unfinished: “followed by the retailing and healthcare sector which” has no completed clause. There is also a subject–verb agreement error in “The given line graphs reveals”; the plural subject requires “reveal,” or the sentence could refer to “The line graph.” The opening phrase “between 1960 to 2020” also uses an incorrect preposition pattern; write “between 1960 and 2020.” Because the response contains only a small amount of text, it shows little range of sentence structures or reliable control. Practise complete sentences and check agreement and prepositions.

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