Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 graph illustrates the changes that happened in the number of the available jobs in four different economy sectors in the USA between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufactring job opportunities accounted for the highest number of jobs in most of time during the period while the figures of the healthcare jobs showed a different behaviour as it was the lowest in the most of time.

In 1960, manufacturing recorded 15 million jobs untill it rose to reach 20 million in 1980 before it starting a gradual decrease that reach its lowest point in 2020. Retail job figures showed considerable steady rising through the period and agriculture jobs showed the same trend as well. Although, healthcare jobs figure was not the least one at the sart of period, it showed steady decrease during the period. They declined in a steep rate form 1960 to 1980 then remained stable till became to decline again in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the broad subject and includes a relevant overview, noting manufacturing’s early prominence and healthcare’s contrasting pattern. However, several key trends are misreported, which leaves the task only minimally addressed. Healthcare did not decrease: it rose steadily from about 2 million jobs in 1960 to 16 million in 2020, becoming one of the largest sectors. Agriculture also declined overall, rather than rising as claimed, while retail increased. The account of manufacturing correctly gives its 1960 and 1980 figures and later fall, but does not report its 2020 value or compare the final figures. To improve, select the main overall changes accurately, then support them with a few clear figures and comparisons across the four sectors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and a paragraph of details. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In 1960” help signal the stages of the report. However, the progression is weakened by inaccurate and confusing links between ideas. For example, the sentence beginning “Although, healthcare jobs figure…” is difficult to follow, and the final sentence uses “They” without a clear reference, making it unclear which sector is being described. The paragraph also moves between sectors without a consistent comparison. Grouping the rising sectors together and the declining sectors together, with clear references and accurate linking phrases, would make the report easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-relevant vocabulary, including “recorded,” “figures,” “gradual decrease” and “steady,” and it attempts to describe changes over time. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, sometimes obscuring the intended trend. Examples include “available jobs,” “different economy sectors,” and “showed the same trend” for agriculture, whose trend was actually downward. Spelling errors such as “manufactring,” “untill,” “sart” and “form” are also noticeable. Aim for precise trend language and check spelling carefully; terms such as “employment,” “rose,” “declined” and “remained stable” can describe the data more clearly when used accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to use complex sentences, including “while” and “Although,” and the overall meaning can often be understood. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in verb forms, sentence construction, articles and agreement. For instance, “before it starting a gradual decrease that reach its lowest point” has incorrect verb forms, while “healthcare jobs figure” lacks a natural grammatical structure. The final sentence, “They declined in a steep rate form 1960 to 1980,” also has unclear referencing and faulty sentence patterns. Practise forming accurate past-tense descriptions and checking each clause for a clear subject and verb. Shorter, well-controlled sentences would help communicate the trends reliably.

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