Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

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)

This graph shows the information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.Firstly, we can see the agriculture sector has dropped to less than 5% of the economy. Moreover, the manufacturing sector which had the most of the job sector in 1980 has dropped to less than 15%. There are two sectors which has seen significantly increase over the years. The first sector that has gain massive shift in jobs is retail. The retailors have significantly grown from over 5% to more than 15% . The other one that has gained much importance is the healthcare sector.The numbers in Healthcare have magnificently increased over 15%. Overall, this graph shows how the interest of people have changed over time in different job sectors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several relevant trends: agriculture declines, manufacturing falls after its 1980 peak, and retail and healthcare grow. However, the response only partially summarises the graph and does not give a clear, accurate overview of the main comparisons. It also misreports units as percentages: the chart shows jobs in millions. For example, manufacturing falls to about 13 million, not “less than 15%,” while healthcare reaches about 16 million by 2020. The claim that the graph shows changing “interest” is not supported by the data. The response is 114 words, 36 short of the 150-word minimum; this limits the detail and development of the summary. Include an overview and compare the sectors using accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from agriculture and manufacturing to the two growing sectors, and signposts such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “Overall” help show the intended structure. However, it is presented as one paragraph, so the overview and supporting details are not clearly separated. Some links are mechanical, and the repeated “sector” phrasing makes the progression feel list-like rather than comparative. The sentence beginning “There are two sectors…” introduces a useful grouping, but the following details could be organised more clearly around the overall contrast between declining sectors and growing ones. Use a separate overview paragraph, then group related trends and connect them with precise comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “dropped,” “grown,” and “increased,” and the reader can generally understand which sectors are being discussed. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unsuitable for reporting this graph. “Less than 5% of the economy” and “from over 5%” confuse percentages with the chart’s unit, millions of jobs. “Retailors” is not the correct term for the sector, and “magnificently increased” is an unnatural choice in this context. “Gained massive shift in jobs” is also unclear. Aim for precise, neutral reporting language such as “employment,” “rose,” “declined,” and “reached approximately,” and use the chart’s units consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the manufacturing sector which had the most…” and a contrast introduced by “Moreover.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in agreement, verb forms, and sentence boundaries remain. For example, “There are two sectors which has” should use a plural verb, and “the first sector that has gain” needs a correct participle. “The interest of people have changed” also has subject–verb disagreement. There are missing spaces after full stops, and the opening sentence runs directly into “Firstly.” Check agreement and verb forms, and punctuate each sentence clearly. More accurate control of these patterns would make the summary easier to read.

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