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 graph is giving us the information about amount of jobs in four areas of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, there is a highest increase in healthcare jobs between 1960 to 2020, that is going from 0 to 15 million. However, there is a slightest change in the agriculture sector during these years.

First of all, we have jobs in millions from 0 to 25 millon on the x axis, and years 1960,1980, 2000, and 2020 on the y axis. The graph shows a significant change in healthcare area from 1960 to 2020. There is a slight change in agriculture jobs. However, the manufacturing jobs were at peak at 20 milllion in 1980, then drops to 12 million by 2020. Moreover, we can also notice a rise in retail job that goes up at almost 15 million from 5 million between these years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad trends, especially the rise in healthcare and the relatively small change in agriculture, and you include some relevant figures for manufacturing and retail. However, the overview is not fully accurate: healthcare rises from about 2 million, not zero, and reaches about 16 million, rather than 15. The retail figures are also understated at the start and end; the chart shows about 6 million in 1960 and 16 million in 2020. The response is 138 words, below the 150-word minimum, which limits the detail available. To strengthen the summary, report the main comparisons accurately and cover all four sectors with selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview and a paragraph of details, and signposting such as “Overall,” “First of all” and “Moreover” helps show how points relate. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the overview’s healthcare and agriculture points are repeated in the detail paragraph, while retail and manufacturing are added without a clear comparison between them. The description of the axes also interrupts the account of the data and is inaccurate, making the paragraph less focused. Organise the details by contrasting the sectors that rose with those that declined, and use linking phrases to show these relationships rather than relying mainly on sequence markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “increase,” “slight change,” “peak” and “rise,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “amount of jobs,” “highest increase” and “slightest change.” Repetition of “jobs” and “change” also makes the description less varied. There are spelling errors in “millon” and “milllion,” and “areas” is less precise than “sectors” in this context. Aim for accurate trend language and natural collocations, for example, “the number of jobs,” “rose to a peak” and “remained relatively stable.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, control is uneven, particularly in verb forms, articles and sentence construction. For example, “The graph is giving us the information” is an awkward present-progressive construction for describing a chart, while “then drops” shifts tense after “were at peak.” The phrase “between 1960 to 2020” uses an incorrect preposition pattern, and “a highest increase” has an article error. The axis sentence also reverses the x- and y-axes. Use the present simple for chart descriptions, check article and preposition patterns, and proofread longer sentences for consistent tense and clear structure.

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