Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-29

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 illustrates changes in the numbers of jobs in the four sectors of USA in between 1960 to 2020. In general, there are few significant changes.

An analysis of the graph shows that in between the years 1960 to 1980, there is a increase number of jobs for manufacturing,retail and healthcare. In the same year agriculture has decreased from its intial numbers.

Further examination of the graph provides that in the next 40 years the manufacturing jobs have decreased lot and by the end it reached 13 millions. The healthcare and retail had greater increase in the number of jobs and both have reached same number of jobs (16 millions) by the final year. the agriculture has maintaned a study pase in between the years and has lessened by the final year(3 millions).

Overall, the graph provide more differences than similarities in the four jobs sectors of the US economy between 1960 to 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad movement in each sector and include useful comparisons, especially that manufacturing declines after 1980 while retail and healthcare rise to the same final figure. However, the overview is unclear: “there are few significant changes” understates the substantial shifts, and “more differences than similarities” does not specify the main pattern. Some details are inaccurate or imprecise. Agriculture falls from 6 million to 3 million by 1980, then remains around 3 million until 2000 and ends at about 2 million, not 3 million. The claim that all three other sectors increase from 1960 to 1980 is also incorrect, since agriculture decreases. A clearer overview and more accurate key figures would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the earlier and later periods. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information. Time markers such as “in between the years 1960 to 1980” and “in the next 40 years” help organise the account, although the phrasing is repetitive and sometimes awkward. The final “Overall” sentence repeats the opening overview rather than adding a precise summary, and “In the same year” is unclear because it refers to a period rather than one year. Grouping the sectors by their trends and using clearer references would make the progression more effective.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “manufacturing,” “agriculture,” “decreased,” and “reached,” so the main subject is understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “a increase number,” “decreased lot,” and “maintaned a study pase.” These errors make parts of the report less precise and occasionally slow the reader. “Greater increase” is also an awkward way to describe the upward trends. Aim for accurate trend language and check spelling carefully; terms such as “rose,” “declined,” “remained stable,” and “by contrast” would help you describe the data more naturally without relying on repeated forms of “increase” and “decrease.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, for example, “Further examination of the graph provides that…” followed by a comparison of the sectors. The main meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. Examples include “in between 1960 to 2020” (use “between 1960 and 2020”), “there is a increase number” (article and noun structure), and “the graph provide” (subject–verb agreement). Tense and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent: “the agriculture has maintaned…” does not fit the past-time description, and “the final year. the agriculture…” needs a capital letter. More reliable control of articles, agreement, and past-tense reporting would improve accuracy.

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