Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare in the US from 1960 to 2020. Units are measured in millions.

Overall, it can be seen that while manufacturing provided most job positions, agriculture provided the least. The number of jobs in manufacturing and agriculture decreased over the given period, whereas those in retail and healthcare incaresed.

First and foremost, the number of jobs in manufacturing started at 15 million in 1960, after which it peaked at approximately 20 million in 1980. Despite the fact that this sector provided far more job positions for the first 40 years, it started declining after its peak and bottomed down at roughly 13 million in 2020. At the same time, healthcare sector provided less than 6 million positions in 1960. This number dropped steadily to around 2 million in 2020.

On the other hand, the number of job positions provided by retail began at about 6 million at the beginning and those provided by agriculture was around 3 million. These two figures rose substantially and both reached more than 15 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task and identifies key trends. However, there is a significant factual error in the data interpretation. You stated that the healthcare sector dropped to 2 million, while the graph clearly shows it as the sector that grew significantly alongside retail. Conversely, you misidentified agriculture as a growing sector, when it actually declined. This misreading of the data impacts the accuracy of the summary. While the overview is present, the misinterpretation of the specific trends for healthcare and agriculture prevents a higher score. Ensure you carefully cross-reference the legend with the lines on the graph before writing.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Despite the fact that', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader. Paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas. However, the connection between sentences is occasionally mechanical. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is smoother. Overall, the structure is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'provided', 'declining', and 'substantially'. There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'incaresed', and some awkward phrasing like 'bottomed down'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure that collocations are accurate. The current range is sufficient but basic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'those provided by agriculture was' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'healthcare sector provided' (missing article). While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. You have attempted complex structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles. Most sentences are understandable, but more attention to detail is needed to reduce the frequency of minor errors.

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