Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-23

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 graph illustrates about the number of jobs in four categories of he economy in the United States between 2960 and 2020.Overall, it can be seen that the manufacturing sector went up gragually and then rapidly dropped fron the year 1980, whereas healthcare and retail jobs increased.

Initially, the highest number of jobs were in manufacturing sectors but they eventually decreased after 1980. However, the healthcare and retail sector's job number was lower with approximatly 2 and almost 6 but it increased gradaully with both getting at the same number of 16.

At last, the agriculture was almost at 6 and it dropped gradullay from 1980 as the manufaturing sector and the number of jobs was approximatly 3.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several relevant trends: manufacturing peaks around 1980 before declining, while retail and healthcare rise, and agriculture falls. However, the account is only partial and some comparisons are unclear or inaccurate. Manufacturing did not rise gradually throughout the period; it increased from about 15 million to 20 million by 1980, then fell to roughly 13 million. Retail and healthcare both reach about 16 million in 2020, but healthcare starts at around 2 million and retail at 6 million. The agriculture description also omits its stable level between 1980 and 2000. The response is 32 words below the required minimum, which limits the detail available. Add a fuller overview and report the key stages and end-point comparisons accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the sectors. Linking words such as “Overall,” “Initially,” “However,” and “At last” help signal relationships between points. However, progression is not consistently clear: the second paragraph combines manufacturing, healthcare, and retail, then the final paragraph returns to agriculture without a clear comparison or complete account. Some references, such as “it” in the final paragraph, are not immediately clear. Organise the details into clearer groups—for example, manufacturing and agriculture, followed by retail and healthcare—and use transitions that accurately show time or contrast. This would make the report easier to follow rather than relying on a short sequence of connectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “increased,” “decreased,” and “dropped,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are awkward, such as “about the number of jobs,” “job number,” and “went up.” Spelling errors—including “gragually,” “approximatly,” and “manufaturing”—also make the writing less controlled. Aim for precise chart language and check spelling carefully. For example, use “the number of jobs” rather than “job number,” and “rose” or “increased” rather than the informal “went up.” More accurate vocabulary would help you describe the different patterns without repeating basic terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “whereas” and a clause beginning “as.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. For example, “the manufacturing sector went up … and then rapidly dropped” has an unclear subject reference, while “the healthcare and retail sector's job number was lower … but it increased” has problems with agreement and sentence construction. The opening also lacks a space after the full stop, and “Initially, the highest number of jobs were” mismatches a singular subject with a plural verb. Practise building accurate sentences around one comparison at a time, checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and punctuation before adding clauses.

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