Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22

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)

Here is the graph where you can see the job market of USA in four different sectors manufaturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare. It shows the number of jobs and number of years from 1960 to 2020.

In year 1960 manufaturing had the highest number of jobs. Retail and healthcare initally did not have high number of jobs but it was increase and in year of 2020 this two sector produce the highest number of jobs.

Manufaturing give around 15 millions of job in 1960 to a peak in1980 with 20 millions of job but after that graph is getting decreased. Healthcare increased from around 3 million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020.

Retail employment grow from 6 million to the 16 millions in 2020. On opposite side of that agriculture daigram start from 6 millions oppertunites to end with only 2 millions oppertunity in 2020 but it remain same between year 1980 to 2000 for 3 millions jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: manufacturing starts highest and then declines after its 1980 peak, while retail and healthcare rise and agriculture falls. Several figures are also reported accurately, including manufacturing at about 15 million in 1960 and 20 million in 1980, and agriculture ending at 2 million. However, the overview is not fully precise: in 2020 retail and healthcare are joint highest at around 16 million, rather than simply saying they “produce the highest” jobs. Healthcare begins at about 2 million, not 3 million, and the response does not clearly compare the sectors at the intermediate points. A more complete overview and more consistent, accurate comparisons would make the key features clearer and better developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally understandable order: an introduction, an overview, and then details about the four sectors. This gives the reader a coherent overall arrangement, and phrases such as “after that” and “On opposite side” attempt to connect trends. However, the progression is not always smooth. The overview combines several trends in one sentence, and the final paragraph moves between retail and agriculture without a clear comparison structure. Some linking expressions are awkward or unclear, and references such as “this two sector” make it harder to follow exactly which sectors are being discussed. Grouping the rising sectors together and the declining sectors together, with clearer transitions, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “highest,” “peak,” “increased,” “decreased,” and “remain same,” so the main information is usually understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, which makes the report less natural. Examples include “produce the highest number of jobs,” “job market,” and “oppertunites” where a more precise description of employment is needed. There are also repeated spelling errors, such as “manufaturing” and “daigram.” Aim for accurate, task-specific collocations and vary the language used to describe rises, falls, and levels. Proofreading spelling and word forms would also make your meaning more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the main trends can generally be understood. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, particularly with articles, plurals, and verb forms. For example, “Retail employment grow” needs a past-tense verb, while “this two sector” requires plural agreement. Phrases such as “in year 1960” and “from around 3 million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020” also show problems with articles and sentence construction. Some sentences join several ideas without clear grammatical control, as in the overview. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and singular/plural agreement, then check each sentence for a complete, clearly structured clause.

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