Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph shows growth of jobs in four different sectors of US economy from 1960 upto 2020.

Overall manufacturing was the largest growing sector in US economy between 1960 and 1980. Along with that retail and healthcare showed steady growth. Agriculture had a downward trend becoming the least employment sector by 2000.

In 1960 about 15 million people were in manufacturing which peaked at 20 million in 1980 then there is a downward trend. However retail and healthcare grew from 5 million and 2 million right upto 15 and 11 million in 2000. That makes retail the largest growing sector in year 2000. After that growth in retail slowed a little bit but healthcare

had steady growth both ending at 16 million

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important patterns: manufacturing rises to a peak in 1980 before declining, agriculture falls, and retail and healthcare grow. The overview also notes that agriculture becomes the smallest sector, which is supported by the graph. However, the response is incomplete: it stops without a concluding comparison, and the required minimum of 150 words is not met. Some details are imprecise: retail reaches about 16 million in 2020, not 15 million, and healthcare also ends at about 16 million. The phrase “largest growing sector” is unclear because manufacturing has the highest total in 1980, while retail and healthcare show the strongest overall growth across the period. Include a fuller account of the final figures and clarify these comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to selected figures. Linking words such as “Overall,” “However,” and “After that” help signal relationships between trends. Nevertheless, the final paragraph combines several series and time points in a way that makes comparisons difficult to follow, and the response ends abruptly after “both ending at 16 million.” The reference of “That” in “That makes retail the largest growing sector” is also not fully clear. Use separate, logically grouped sentences—for example, one comparing manufacturing with retail, and another describing healthcare and agriculture—and finish with a complete comparison of the 2020 figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing graphs, including “peaked,” “downward trend,” “steady growth,” and “least employment sector.” These choices make the main movements understandable. However, some expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “largest growing sector,” “growth in retail slowed a little bit,” and “least employment sector.” The repeated use of “growth” also limits the range of trend language. Choose terms that distinguish a sector’s total number of jobs from its rate of increase, and use more precise descriptions such as “largest employer,” “growth slowed,” or “smallest sector by employment.” Check spelling and standard forms, including “up to” rather than “upto,” to make the report more polished.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple statements and some more developed structures, such as “which peaked at 20 million in 1980 then there is a downward trend.” The main trends remain understandable, but several sentences contain errors or awkward construction. In “manufacturing was the largest growing sector,” the comparison is not expressed clearly; “in year 2000” needs an article; and “then there is a downward trend” shifts tense within a past-time report. The final sentence is also incomplete in its construction: “After that growth in retail slowed a little bit but healthcare had steady growth both ending at 16 million.” Keep past-tense verbs consistent, use complete clauses, and punctuate longer comparisons carefully. These revisions would improve accuracy and control.

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