Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-18

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)

As we go through the grapgh we can see there's a prominent rise in manifacturing sector, mostly in 1980. Going downwards we can see there's a gradual increase in jobs of retail sector from 1960 to 2000 and then there's a constant mark. But in agricultural sector there's a gradual downfal from 1960 to 1980 but then it seems stable till year 2000 and after that a slight downgrade is observed. Now if we come to the health sector, we can see a numerous number of increasing jobs, specially from year 1980 to year 2000 and then more rise in health sector jobs till year 2020 and thats a major rise in jobs of health sector.

Now if we make a comparison of these jobs:

Health Sector tops the graph.

Manufacturing sector grab its position at second spot

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several genuine trends: manufacturing peaks in 1980, agriculture declines, and healthcare rises strongly, especially after 1980. However, the response only minimally covers the task because it gives few figures and the overview is incomplete. The claim that retail has a “constant mark” after 2000 is inaccurate: it rises slightly from about 15 million to 16 million. The final comparison says healthcare tops the graph and manufacturing is second, but this is true only in 2020; it does not explain how the rankings change over time. The response also contains 138 words, below the required 150. Add a clear overview and key figures for all four sectors, with accurate comparisons across the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: the response moves through the four sectors and then attempts a comparison, using phrases such as “But in agricultural sector” and “Now if we make a comparison.” However, the progression is not fully clear, and the repeated conversational openings (“we can see,” “Now if we come to”) make the report feel like a running commentary rather than a concise summary. The final comparison is also incomplete, ending after two ranking statements without connecting them to the earlier trends. Use a clear overview paragraph followed by grouped details, and link related sectors directly—for example, compare the rise in healthcare with the decline in manufacturing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the broad trends, with terms such as “gradual increase,” “stable,” and “comparison.” However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which makes parts of the report less clear. “Constant mark” is not an appropriate description of a line that continues to rise, while “downgrade” does not naturally describe a fall in employment. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “grapgh,” “manifacturing,” and “downfal.” Aim for precise chart language such as “remained stable,” “declined slightly,” “reached a peak,” and “rose steadily,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use some longer sentence forms, including clauses linked with “but,” “and then,” and “after that,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range is limited, and errors recur in sentence construction and punctuation. For example, “there's a gradual increase in jobs of retail sector” lacks a clear article and uses an awkward grammatical pattern; “Health Sector tops the graph” shifts into the present tense without a clear reason, while the report mainly describes past data. Several sentences also run together through repeated linking phrases. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and vary sentence structures, for example: “Retail employment rose from 6 million in 1960 to 15 million in 2000, before increasing slightly by 2020.”

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