Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-05

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 linear representation depicts the data about the count of occupations in economies in four distinct sectors from 1960 and 2020.

In 1960, manufacturing employed about 15 million people, making it the biggest sector. This figure increased to 20 million in 1980 before falling gradually to around 17 million in 2000 and 13 million by 2020. Retail also showed continuous growth throughout the period, rising from approximately 5 million jobs in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, 15 million in 2000 and finally 17 million in 2020, becoming the largest employer at the end of the period.

Healthcare started with only around 2 million jobs in 1960 but increased steadily over the following decades. Employment reached about 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and 16 million by 2020. By contrast, agriculture experienced a slight decline overall. It fell from roughly 5 million jobs in 1960 to 3 million in 1980, remained stable at around 3 million in 2000, and dropped slightly further to approximately 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers all four sectors and provides a clear overview of the trends from 1960 to 2020. You successfully identified the main features, such as the rise of retail and healthcare and the decline of agriculture. The data is accurately reported, and comparisons are made where relevant, such as noting that retail became the largest employer by the end of the period. To reach a band 8, you could include a more distinct 'overview' paragraph that synthesizes the most significant trends across the entire period, rather than just jumping straight into the data points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on specific sectors. The progression of ideas is clear, and you use transition signals like 'In 1960', 'before falling', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sectors. The cohesion is generally smooth, though the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the flow. Overall, the structure is well-managed and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'linear representation', 'continuous growth', and 'remained stable' are used effectively. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, it is somewhat functional. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increased' or 'decreased' (e.g., 'surged', 'plummeted', 'fluctuated') and use more precise collocations to describe the trends, which would show a greater level of lexical sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is good. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To move toward a band 8, you could experiment with more complex grammatical structures, such as using participial phrases or more varied subordinate clauses to describe the data points, which would demonstrate a wider range of grammatical flexibility.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.