Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-30

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 compares the data related to the number of employment in four sectors such as, manufacturing, retail, agriculture, healthcare economy in the us between1960 and 2020.

Overall, It is clear that healthcare industry has rose significantly from beginning to the end of the period. whereas, the agriculture sector has decreased gradually. On the othet hand, the retail sector has climbed over the timeline.

By looking at the graph, the manufacturing sector saw a sudden rise and it saw a gradual decline by intersecting healthcare and retail sectors. The agriculture sector saw a slightly dropped nearly from 5 to around 4 and it started to fell considerably throughout the timeline. It has seen a lot of unemployment compared to other three industries.

The retail rose steadily from 1960 to 2000 and stood at 15 million, after that increased slightly till 2020. On the other hand, healthcare sector increased substantially throughout the timeline. At the end of the period healthcare and retail sectors were converged stood above 15 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad trends: healthcare rises, agriculture declines, and retail grows, and you include some useful figures for retail. However, the overview is incomplete and some details do not match the graph. Manufacturing rises to a peak of 20 million in 1980, then falls to 13 million by 2020; the response mentions a rise and decline but gives no figures. Agriculture falls from about 6 million to 2 million, rather than from 5 to 4, and the claim that it saw “a lot of unemployment” is unsupported by a graph showing job numbers. The ending comparison is relevant, but healthcare and retail finish at approximately the same level, around 16 million. Select the key turning points and report them accurately, avoiding interpretations the data cannot establish.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing sector trends. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the body is uneven: the manufacturing and agriculture discussion is combined, then retail and healthcare are grouped later, without a consistent comparison pattern. Some linking is also mechanical or unclear, particularly “On the other hand” where no strong contrast is established, and “after that increased slightly” lacks a clear subject. The overview repeats the general upward trend for retail but omits the important manufacturing peak and the final convergence of retail and healthcare. Organise the details by comparable trends or time periods, and use clear references and transitions to connect each point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable set of trend terms, including “gradually,” “steadily,” “substantially” and “decline,” so the main movements are generally understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “number of employment,” “saw a slightly dropped,” and “a lot of unemployment” do not express the chart information appropriately. “Converged stood” is also an unclear combination, while “other three industries” is imprecise when referring to sectors. There are spelling and form slips such as “othet” and “fell” after “started to.” Aim for precise chart vocabulary, such as “number of jobs,” “fell slightly,” and “reached similar levels.” Check spelling and choose terms that describe the data rather than adding unsupported interpretations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “whereas” and “after that,” and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, errors recur in sentence construction and verb forms. For example, “healthcare industry has rose” should use the past participle “risen,” and “the agriculture sector has decreased” is inconsistent with the past-time period unless the tense is used consistently throughout. The sentence “The agriculture sector saw a slightly dropped” has an incorrect structure, and “after that increased slightly” is missing an explicit subject. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in “Overall, It” and the lower-case “us.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs.

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