Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-02

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 6.5)

The line graph provides the information about the number of jobs in four different sectors of the economy in ths US between 1960 amd 2020.

Overall,it can be seen that number of jobs decreased in the sector of manufacturing and agriculture. In contrast jobs in retail and healthcare sectors are elevated rapidly.

It can be seen that during 1960 healthcare sector had at the lowest number of jobs but in 1980 it increases a little bit. In 2000 a huge increase can be seen while in 2020 this sector reaches at its highest number of jobs which is about 15 millions. On the other hand retail sector also followed the same pattern the number of jobs were lowest in 1960 but after every 20 years it increased and at the end of 2020 it is about 15 millions.

Manufacturing sector showed a decline of number of jobs from 1960 to 2020 but in 1980 it has the highest number of jobs which about 20 millions. but in 2020 it drops to 10-12 millions only. Agriculture sector suffered a lot as the number of jobs only decreased from 1960 to 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all four sectors and made relevant comparisons, such as contrasting the growth in healthcare and retail with the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. However, the response lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, stating that the healthcare sector 'increases a little bit' is vague, and you should aim to include more specific data points from the graph to support your descriptions. Additionally, ensure that your overview is distinct and clearly highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In contrast', 'On the other hand', and 'Overall', to connect ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes repetitive or slightly mechanical. The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is clearer. For example, the transition between the description of the healthcare sector and the retail sector could be smoother to better highlight the comparison you are making.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the main points clearly. You use some sector-specific terms like 'manufacturing', 'agriculture', and 'retail'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'elevated rapidly' (should be 'increased' or 'rose') and 'reaches at its highest' (should be 'reaches its peak'). There are also minor spelling errors like 'ths' and 'amd'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise verbs and nouns related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', or 'significant growth'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'number of jobs decreased' vs 'the number of jobs'), incorrect preposition usage (e.g., 'reaches at its'), and missing articles. While these errors do not prevent the meaning from being understood, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. To improve, focus on consistent tense usage—since the data covers a past period, ensure you use the past tense consistently—and check for basic errors in sentence construction.

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