Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph illustrates information about number of jobs in four different sectore manufacturing, retail, agriculture and helathcare in duartion of 60 years.

Overall, all four sectors started in 1960 with different number of jobs in millions. Manfucturing started with highest number of jobs 15 millions followed by reail, agriculture with 6 millions and healthcare with 2 millions.

Manufacturing jobs had highest number of jobs in 1960 while reail, agriculture had 6 millions and healthcare had the lowest numbers around 2 millions. After careful observation Manufacturing jobs dominated in 1980 and started to declince till 2020 whereas retail and healthcare jobs continued to grow steadily and ended with similiar number of jobs in 2020, 16 miilions. Agriculture jobs faced steady decrease in number leaving only 2 millions job at the end.

By contrast, healthcare starting at a low point of approximately 2 millions became major jobs sectors in 2020 with 16 miilions jibs same happened with reatil and manufaturing jobs ended with 13 millions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall patterns: manufacturing peaks in 1980 before declining, retail and healthcare rise, and agriculture falls. You also report several key figures accurately, including manufacturing at 15 million initially and retail and healthcare both reaching about 16 million in 2020. This covers the task, but some comparisons are unclear or incomplete. The overview says the sectors began with “different number[s]” without clearly summarising the contrasting trends, and the final sentence’s claim that healthcare became a “major” sector is vague. The account also repeats the 1960 starting figures and gives little detail about the intermediate values, such as retail’s steady rise or agriculture’s plateau between 1980 and 2000. A sharper overview and more selective, clearly compared data would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview-like opening, and paragraphs describing trends. The reader can follow the broad direction of change, and phrases such as “whereas” and “By contrast” attempt to connect comparisons. However, progression is weakened by repetition: the 1960 figures and manufacturing’s initial lead are stated more than once. The overview is mixed with detailed figures, while the final paragraph revisits trends already mentioned rather than adding a clear comparison. Some linking is mechanical, and the relationship between ideas in the last sentence is difficult to follow. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by two focused comparison paragraphs, grouping rising sectors together and declining sectors together.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “dominated,” “decline,” “steadily,” and “decrease,” and the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range and control are limited by repeated wording such as “number of jobs” and several inaccurate or misspelled forms, including “sectore,” “helathcare,” “Manfucturing,” and “miilions.” Some combinations are unnatural, for example “became major jobs sectors” and “2 millions job.” These errors make the report less fluent and occasionally require the reader to work out the intended wording. Use standard sector names carefully, vary expressions for employment figures, and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, including a contrast with “whereas” and a time clause in “After careful observation … started to decline.” The main trends remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “different number of jobs” needs plural agreement, and “Manufacturing jobs had highest number” is missing an article. The sentence beginning “By contrast, healthcare starting at a low point” lacks a clear finite verb structure, while “same happened” also needs an article. Plural forms and sentence boundaries are not consistently controlled. Aim for complete, clearly punctuated sentences and check articles, singular/plural agreement, and verb forms; this will make your comparisons more precise.

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