Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

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 graph illustrates number of jobs in four sectors of American economy spanning over seven decades. The sectors include manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare.

In 1960s most people were employed in the field of manufacturing reaching up to 15 million.

Healthcare department had the least number of workers in 1960. In 2020 both retail sector and healthcare department have steadily increased. Retail and healthcare have employed almost same number of workers in 2020. Jobs in the manufacturing has decreased in 2020 as compared to 1960. Agriculture sector has been going in recession since 1960 causing a steady decrease in job market.

From the graph we can conclude that 1960 manufacturing and industrial revolution were the key factors in improving the economy. Healthcare participated least number of employment opportunities in 1960s. In 2020 manufacturing has been replaced by retail and healthcare. Agriculture has declined gradually throughout the 1960s up to 2020s without improvement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the four sectors and report several relevant broad trends: manufacturing is highest at the start, healthcare is lowest in 1960, and agriculture declines while retail and healthcare rise. However, the overview is not sufficiently precise. Retail and healthcare are both about 16 million in 2020, but manufacturing remains substantial at around 13 million, so saying it was “replaced” overstates the change. The claim that agriculture declined “without improvement” is broadly supported, but the response omits key comparisons, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 before falling, and healthcare’s strong rise. The final explanation about the industrial revolution and improving the economy is not shown by the graph. Focus on describing the data rather than inferring causes or historical context.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence, moving from an introduction to observations and a concluding statement, and the reader can generally follow the sectors being discussed. However, there is no clear, well-developed overview that groups the main trends, and the body repeats points: the low level of healthcare in 1960 and the decline in agriculture are each mentioned more than once. Connections between ideas are sometimes abrupt, particularly the shift from describing the graph to claims about the “industrial revolution” and the economy. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by comparisons of rising and falling sectors. Use clear references and linking phrases to show how the figures relate, rather than repeating conclusions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “sectors,” “employed,” “steady decrease,” and “declined gradually,” so the main trends are usually understandable. However, the range is limited and some expressions are imprecise or unnatural for describing a graph. “Healthcare department” and “job market” do not accurately name the data series, while “going in recession” suggests an economic condition not established by the figures. “Participated least number of employment opportunities” is also unclear. Choose precise terms such as “employment,” “number of jobs,” and “fell,” and use them consistently. Avoid adding interpretive language when a neutral description of the figures is needed; this would make the report more accurate and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses mostly short, simple statements, with a few attempts at more complex phrasing, such as “Agriculture sector has been going in recession since 1960 causing a steady decrease in job market.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in articles, agreement, and sentence construction occur. For example, “illustrates number of jobs” needs an article, “Jobs in the manufacturing has decreased” has an agreement problem, and “Healthcare participated least number of employment opportunities” is not grammatically well formed. Tense choices are also inconsistent when describing a chart covering past years. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build a wider range of controlled comparisons, such as “while manufacturing fell, retail continued to rise.”

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