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 given line graph illustrates how many jobs were created in four different sectors of the economy in the country of America in the years between 1960 to 2020.

From an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that, manufacturing sector created the most amount of jobs in the early 20s whereas healthcare created the least. Number of jobs skyrocketed throughout the years except the agriculture.

As far as the data is concerned, manufacturing related jobs were about 15 million in 1960 which escalated by 5 million in 1980. After that there was a gradual drop in the numbers, which were 17 million approximately in 2000 and around 13 million in 2020. In contrast, medical sector was at the lowest in the initial years with less than 3 million jobs were in this sector in 1960. However, there was a significant acceleration in the numbers which made it to 5 million in 1980, more than 10 million and 15 million in 2000 and 2020 respectively.

Furtherahead, retail and cultivation sectors were at the same level in terms of the numbers of the jobs with just an over of 5 million in 1960. Meanwhile, both sectors showed an opposite growth pattern, in which jobs in marketing increased considerably over the decades with 10 million in 1980 and 15-16 million in the later years. On the opposite side, cultivation sector had a drop in the number of jobs which was in between 2-3 million over the period.

In conclusion, each sector grew and showed a positive development in terms of creating occupations beside the agriculture area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends over the period. The overview is clear, highlighting the growth in most sectors versus the decline in agriculture. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, the student mentions 'early 20s' which is an unclear reference to the timeline, and the description of the retail/cultivation sectors is slightly confusing. The comparison between sectors is generally well-handled, but the analysis could be more precise regarding the specific figures provided in the graph to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each focusing on specific sectors. There is a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'Furtherahead' (though 'Furtherahead' is non-standard) are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by slightly awkward phrasing, and some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'skyrocketed', 'escalated', 'gradual drop', and 'significant acceleration'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'cultivation sector' (which should likely be 'agriculture') and 'just an over of 5 million'. Additionally, 'Furtherahead' is not a standard English term. While the vocabulary is adequate to convey the intended meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'less than 3 million jobs were in this sector' (should be 'there were less than 3 million jobs'), 'in the early 20s' (which is factually and grammatically confusing), and 'beside the agriculture area' (should be 'except for'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the control over complex structures is inconsistent.

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

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