Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-26

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 graps compares the number of jobs in four economic sectors in the United States from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, it is clear that the popularity from the retail and healthcare work sectors went up significantly over the period,while the manufacturing and agriculture dropped at the end of the period.

In 1960,the healthcare sector started with the lowest number of jobs at around 3million.However,this number grew quickly every year.By the year 2000 healthcare reached about 11million.Moreover, this sector finishing at around 16million in 2020.

Similarly, the retail sector started with lower number around 6million in 1960 and significantly increased over the period.At the end of the year it reached 16million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the overall rise in retail and healthcare and include several relevant figures, such as healthcare reaching about 11 million in 2000 and both sectors ending at around 16 million. However, the report covers only these two sectors, leaving out the important manufacturing and agriculture trends and comparisons. The overview is also imprecise: manufacturing did not simply drop “at the end”; it peaked at 20 million in 1980 before declining to 13 million, while agriculture fell from 6 million to 2 million. The response is 39 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the limited coverage. Include all four sectors and summarise their contrasting patterns.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs describing healthcare and retail. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and connectors such as “Overall,” “However,” and “Similarly” help signal relationships. However, the report stops after the retail description, so the progression is incomplete and the two omitted sectors leave the comparison unfinished. Some linking is also mechanical or unclear: “However” does not clearly contrast with the preceding point, and “Moreover” introduces a sentence whose subject and verb do not form a complete clause. Develop the body in a logical sequence, grouping the rising sectors against the declining ones, and use transitions that accurately express the relationship between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “sectors,” “number of jobs,” “increased,” and “reached,” so the main trends are generally understandable. There is also some attempt to vary wording with “grew quickly” and “significantly increased.” However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise for describing a graph. “Popularity” does not accurately describe employment figures, and “work sectors” is less natural than “employment sectors.” The phrase “finishing at” is also awkward in this context. Spelling and spacing errors, including “graps” and joined forms such as “period,while,” reduce accuracy. Use precise trend language and check spelling and word spacing during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce some clear simple sentences, such as “The line graps compares the number of jobs…” and “Similarly, the retail sector started…”. You also attempt more complex forms, including the contrast in “while the manufacturing and agriculture dropped.” However, control is uneven. In “Moreover, this sector finishing at around 16million,” the verb form is incomplete; use “finished” or “finished at.” The overview also has an awkward subject–verb construction in “the popularity … went up,” and articles are missing in “started with lower number.” Punctuation spacing is inconsistent, and the sentence beginning “However” runs directly into the next figure. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and complete clauses, while retaining the clear basic sentence patterns you already use.

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