Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20

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 chart illustrates the number of jobs available in different sectors which include manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in the United States from the year 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of opportunities to work kept on increasing between 1960 and 2020 for the healthcare and retail sectors. On the other hand, the manufacturing industry saw a rise in the number of jobs; however, after the initial few years the number of jobs kept on decreasing till 2020. The Agriculture sector never saw a increase in jobs between the given years.

The Healthcare sector had about 2 million, whereas the retail sector had 6 million jobs in 1980. Nevertheless, both of the industries saw a large increase in available jobs throughout the given timeline. Both industries reached peak in terms of job availability in 2020, with 16 million jobs available across each sector. The Healthcare sector had 5 million and the retail sector had 10 million jobs in 1980. In 2000, the number of jobs increased to 11 million and 15 million in the healthcare and retail sectors respectively.

Initially, in 1960 the manufacturing industry had 15 million jobs which were the highest as compared to all other sectors in the same year. Moreover, the number increased to 20 million in 1980, after this the number of jobs kept on declining reaching 13 million in 2020. Conversely, the number of jobs in the agriculture sector were 6 million in 1960 and kept on reducing reaching just 2 million jobs in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends effectively. You successfully highlighted the contrast between the growth in healthcare/retail and the decline in manufacturing/agriculture. However, there are some inconsistencies in the data reporting. For instance, you mention the healthcare sector had 2 million jobs in 1980, but later state it had 5 million in the same year. Such inaccuracies in data transcription impact the overall clarity of the report. To reach a higher band, ensure that the figures cited align precisely with the provided graph and that comparisons are consistently accurate throughout the text.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group the sectors by their trends (growth vs. decline). You use cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Nevertheless', and 'Conversely' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is slightly disjointed; the third paragraph contains conflicting data points, which disrupts the flow of information. While the progression is generally clear, the internal consistency of the paragraphs needs improvement to ensure the reader can follow the data trends without confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'opportunities', 'declining', and 'respectively'. There is some repetition of basic phrases like 'number of jobs'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms such as 'employment figures', 'workforce', or 'job vacancies'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing to enhance the professional tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The given line chart illustrates...' and 'Although the manufacturing industry saw a rise...'. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'never saw a increase' (should be 'an increase') and 'the number of jobs in the agriculture sector were' (should be 'was'). While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, aim for more error-free complex sentences and ensure subject-verb agreement is consistently maintained throughout the report.

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

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