Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The line pragraph shows the number of jobs in four information -Manufacring ,Retail Agricture ana Healthcare in the USA between 1960 and 2020.

overall Manufacturing were the lagest empoler at the start but decilnes after 1980, while Retail and Healthcare both saw steady grouth and overtock Manufacring by 2020 Agricture the samllest sector with a decline . in 1960 Manufacring accounted for 15 Million jobs the highest all of the sector . it rose to a peak of 20 Million in 2020in 1980m ,them fell to around 17.5 Million in 2000 about the14 Million in 2020.A clear intoduction , concise overview and two detail paRAGRA[PH

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and give a relevant overview: manufacturing starts as the largest sector and later declines, while retail and healthcare rise, and agriculture remains smallest. You also report several manufacturing figures. However, the response addresses only part of the task: it gives almost no supporting data for retail, healthcare or agriculture, so the key comparisons and changes are not adequately summarised. The manufacturing peak is also misdated: it reaches 20 million in 1980, not 2020; the 2000 and 2020 figures are slightly overstated, though the chart values are approximate. The response is 45 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the limited coverage. Include the main figures and turning points for all four sectors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a recognisable opening followed by an overview and an attempt to add detail, and the overview does group the main trends. However, the response does not develop into a clear sequence of paragraphs: the overview and manufacturing details run together, and the final fragment, “A clear introduction, concise overview and two detail paragraph,” interrupts the report rather than adding information. Connections between ideas are also weak, with few clear transitions to guide the reader through the four sectors. Organise the response into an introduction, a concise overview, and one or two detail paragraphs that compare related sectors. Use linking phrases such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile” to make those comparisons explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “accounted for,” “peak,” “declines,” and “steady growth,” showing an attempt to describe trends rather than simply list figures. However, frequent spelling errors and inaccurate word forms make parts of the report difficult to understand, for example “Manufacring,” “Agricture,” “decilnes,” and “overtock.” Some expressions are also imprecise or unnatural, such as “the highest all of the sector” and “information” for the economic sectors. These problems limit the range and clarity of your vocabulary. Check spelling carefully and choose standard reporting phrases, such as “the highest of all four sectors” and “employment in manufacturing.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both a complex overview sentence and a longer sentence reporting figures, but control of sentence structure and punctuation is weak. The overview contains several clauses joined without clear punctuation, while the manufacturing sentence becomes difficult to follow around “20 Million in 2020in 1980m, them fell.” There are also errors in agreement and articles, as in “Manufacturing were the largest employer,” and inconsistent sentence boundaries and capitalization. These frequent errors sometimes obscure the intended meaning, and the range of structures remains limited. Use shorter, complete sentences, check subject–verb agreement (“Manufacturing was”), and separate each trend or comparison with accurate punctuation.

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.