Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-06

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 illustrates information about the number of employments in different sector like Manufacturing , Retail , Agriculture, Healthcare in the United States between 1960 to 2020.

Manufacturing employment rose from 15 million in 1960 to a peak of 20 million in 1980. It then declined to around 17 million in 2000 before falling further to approximately 13 million in 2020. In contrast, retail jobs increased steadily from about 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and reached roughly 16 million by the end of the period.

Agriculture followed the opposite trend, decreasing from around 6 million jobs in 1960 to only about 2 million in 2020. Meanwhile, healthcare experienced the fastest growth, rising from approximately 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and around 16 million in 2020, matching retail as one of the largest employment sectors.

Overall, manufacturing was the largest employer at the beginning of the period but experienced a gradual decline after peaking in 1980. By contrast, retail and healthcare showed steady growth throughout the period, while agriculture recorded a continuous decrease and became the smallest sector by 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have identified the main trends for all four sectors and provided relevant data points to support your descriptions. The overview is clear and highlights the key shifts, such as the decline in manufacturing and agriculture versus the growth in retail and healthcare. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly the observation that healthcare and retail ended at similar levels. The information is accurate based on the provided graph, and the structure allows for a logical progression of ideas. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are described with maximum precision, though your current level of detail is already very strong.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs focusing on specific trends, and a concise summary. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'By contrast' effectively guides the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sectors, which helps in maintaining a clear flow of information. The progression from the start of the period to the end is consistent throughout the text. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent, making the information easy to follow and understand.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'rose', 'declined', 'increased steadily', and 'recorded a continuous decrease'. The terminology related to the graph is accurate. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' (e.g., 'surged', 'plummeted', 'underwent a significant contraction'). However, the current range is more than adequate for the task, and there are no errors in word choice that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is generally accurate. There is a minor error in the introduction: 'number of employments in different sector' should be 'number of employees in different sectors'. Additionally, 'between 1960 to 2020' should be 'between 1960 and 2020'. Despite these minor slips, the grammatical control is strong, and the meaning is always clear. The use of varied sentence structures contributes to the overall readability of the report.

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