Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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 tracks numbers of duty in four different sectors of economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

After analysing the line graph, it can be seen clearly that the four sectors - manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare are in a very changing schedule between the years. In 1960 healthcare was a low quantity job provide sector. But it takes big achievement every next year. In 1980 it provides 5 million jobs and in 2000 it reached 11 million approximately. and The last year it catches almost 16 million. secondly, retail was in about 7 million in his first year, after 20 years it reached 10 million. In 2000 increase 5 million from the last 20 years.

Further, the line graph shows the manufacturing sector who highest in 1960, it was highest also 1980 and 2000. But in 2020 it decreases nearby 13 million. The last agriculture site was same like retail sector in 1960. But it was the only who decreases a lot in his all next years.

overall, it is evident that healthcare increasesba lot in her prime and agriculture was always lowest in every year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify all four sectors and report several important patterns, including healthcare’s strong rise, manufacturing’s later decline, and agriculture’s overall fall. The figures for healthcare and manufacturing are mostly consistent with the chart. However, the overview is not fully accurate: agriculture was not the lowest in every year, since it tied with retail at about 6 million in 1960. Retail’s final value of about 16 million is also omitted, and the claim that manufacturing was highest in 2000 is incorrect because retail was lower but healthcare and retail trends deserve clearer comparison; manufacturing was about 17 million then. Some descriptions, such as “a very changing schedule,” do not clearly report data. Select the main comparisons more precisely and give a concise, accurate overview of all four trends.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence: an introduction, discussion of healthcare and retail, then manufacturing and agriculture, followed by an overall statement. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression is uneven, and the overview appears only at the end rather than clearly guiding the report. Linking words such as “secondly,” “Further,” and “But” are used mechanically or do not always show the relationship between ideas. The retail discussion stops before its 2020 figure, while the final paragraph repeats trend information without bringing the comparisons together. Use a clear overview after the introduction, then group related trends into paragraphs and connect comparisons explicitly, for example by contrasting the rising sectors with the declining ones.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “sector,” “reached,” “increases,” and “decreases,” and the reader can generally identify the trends you intend to describe. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are unnatural, such as “numbers of duty,” “low quantity job provide sector,” “big achievement,” and “catches almost 16 million.” These expressions sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. There are also imprecise phrases such as “same like retail sector” and “prime” for a period of growth. Aim for standard data-reporting language and accurate collocations, such as “the number of jobs,” “employed,” “rose to,” and “declined steadily.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is often recoverable. However, control is inconsistent, with frequent errors in sentence structure, tense, agreement, articles, and punctuation. For example, “In 2000 increase 5 million” lacks a clear subject and correctly formed verb, while “it was highest also 1980 and 2000” has missing articles and awkward word order. The sentence beginning “After analysing the line graph” also runs into a long, poorly controlled statement, and “and The last year” shows faulty sentence punctuation and capitalisation. Practise complete subject–verb sentences and consistent past-tense reporting, such as “Retail employment rose by five million between 1980 and 2000.”

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