Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

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 changing in the number of jobs in four different sectors of the US economy, namely manufacturing , retal,agriculture and healthcare, during 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing was the largest employment sector at the begining of the period, reaching a peak in 1980 before declining considerably. In contrast, retail and healthcare experienced substantial growth, while agriculture showed overall downward trend.

To begin with, manufacturing employed approximately 15 millions in 1960. The figure rose significantly to 20 millions in 1980, before falling gradually to 17 millions in 2000 and dropping further to 13 millions by 2020. Moving on to retails,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the graph’s subject and provide a relevant overview: manufacturing starts as the largest sector and peaks before declining, while retail and healthcare rise and agriculture falls. The manufacturing figures are also reported accurately. However, the response stops just as the retail description begins, so it does not report the key figures or trends for retail, healthcare, or agriculture in the body. This leaves the task only partially addressed and the main comparisons underdeveloped. The response is also 48 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the lack of coverage. To improve, complete the account of all four sectors and compare their positions by 2020, when retail and healthcare are both around 16 million jobs.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph beginning with manufacturing. Phrases such as “Overall” and “To begin with” help signal the stages of the report, and the manufacturing sequence is easy to follow. However, the body ends abruptly at “Moving on to retails,” leaving the organisation incomplete and preventing a clear progression through the remaining data. The overview groups the trends effectively, but the report does not develop those points in a logical sequence. Complete the body with separate, clearly ordered comparisons for the other sectors, and use linking phrases to show how their trends relate rather than relying only on introductory transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use several suitable terms for describing trends, including “peak,” “declining considerably,” “rose significantly,” and “falling gradually.” These choices communicate the main manufacturing pattern and show some range beyond basic vocabulary. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “retal” is misspelled, “retails” is not the appropriate sector label, and “changing in the number” is an awkward phrase. There are also inconsistent spaces around punctuation in the opening sentence. Aim for accurate, consistent labels such as “retail” and natural collocations such as “changes in the number of jobs.” A wider range of precise trend language would also help you describe the sectors that are not yet covered.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a complex overview sentence contrasting manufacturing with retail and healthcare, and a longer sentence describing the manufacturing figures over time. The main meaning is generally understandable. However, grammatical control is uneven: “during 1960 and 2020” uses an unsuitable time construction, and “agriculture showed overall downward trend” is missing an article. The opening phrase “illustrates changing in the number” also has an incorrect grammatical form. These errors, alongside the unfinished final sentence, limit accuracy and range. Practise using “between 1960 and 2020,” adding articles where needed, and checking that each sentence is complete. Vary sentence structures while keeping the relationships between dates and figures clear.

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