Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 below ilustrates the information about the number of jobs in four sectors of economy in US between given time period 1960 to 2020 with every two decades of gap.

Overall agriculture field is begin from 6 million jobsthen slightly falls to 2 million while retail and healthcares job ratio is not same in the start but they rise steadily and stops at the same point of 16 million in the end of given time period. Manufacturing field starts from 15 million and it rise slighty then falls to the 13 million in the end of given time period.

Manufacturing has the highest ratio of jobs from the start then in next 2 decades it rise slightly to 20 million further it falls and stops at 13 million. Reatail and agriculture fields job ratio starts from same point of 6 millions but retail took a high rise and agriculture falls. In the end of given time period retail job ratio is 16 million and agriculture fields job ratio is 2 million in US. Healthcare department considered a highly progressive sector between these which is starts from 2 million jobs then rose steadily and stop at 16 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall patterns: agriculture declines, manufacturing peaks before falling, and retail and healthcare both finish at about 16 million jobs. The key comparisons are also relevant, including manufacturing’s initial lead and retail and agriculture starting at the same level. Most reported figures match the graph. This meets the task well, and the overview is clear. However, some details are less fully reported: retail’s steady rise and healthcare’s growth through the intermediate years could be compared more explicitly, and the 2000 figures are not stated. Also, saying manufacturing “rise[s] slightly” to 20 million understates its substantial increase from 15 million. More precise descriptions of the scale and timing of changes would strengthen the report further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph giving further comparisons. This helps the reader follow the main trends, and phrases such as “while” and “in the end” signal contrast and time. However, progression is not consistently clear because several points are repeated: the final values for retail, agriculture, and healthcare appear in both the overview and the final paragraph. Some links are also awkward or unclear, particularly “which is starts from” and “between these.” Organise the details into a clearer sequence, such as comparing the two declining or fluctuating sectors with the two rising sectors, and use references that make each comparison explicit. This would make cohesion less repetitive and more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “falls,” “rise,” “starts,” and “steadily,” so the main information remains understandable. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “progressive sector.” However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or repetitive: “job ratio” is not a natural way to describe the number of jobs, and “stops at” is less suitable than “ends at” or “reaches.” Spelling errors such as “ilustrates,” “slighty,” and “Reatail” are noticeable. Aim for a more precise range of trend language, and check spelling and common collocations. This would improve clarity and make the report sound more natural and appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the reader can generally understand the comparisons. However, control is inconsistent, especially in complex clauses and verb forms. For example, “which is starts from 2 million” combines incompatible verb forms, while “it rise slighty then falls” has incorrect agreement and tense. There are also errors in articles, plurals, and sentence construction, as in “starts from 6 million jobsthen” and “Manufacturing field starts.” These problems sometimes make the relationships between ideas harder to follow. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build complex sentences with a clear subject and verb; for example, “Healthcare rose from 2 million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020.”

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