Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-22

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 graph demonstrates an economic trend between 1960 to 2020 in the US of four different job sectors. Fields of job include manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare. Observing the trend related to healthcare sector, job market gradually increased from 1960 to 2020 without any downfall.

The job availability in agricultural field declined from about 6 million jobs in 1960 to around 2 million jobs in 2020. On the contrary, the retail market inclined to more than 15 millions of job availability in the given 40 years of time period. Moreover, the manufacturing sector presented decent increase in job market from 1960 to 1980 but a steep decrease in the number of jobs was observed from 1980 to 2020.

Out of all four job markets, the manufacturing field showcased highest number of job availabilities in 1980. Whereas, the agricultural field experienced lowest number of jobs in 2020 out of all four job sectors in the United States.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for all four sectors. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends or the overall contrast between the sectors. While you have identified the start and end points, the analysis could be improved by grouping the sectors more effectively (e.g., those that grew vs. those that declined) to provide a more cohesive summary. The data points are generally accurate, but ensure that you provide a clear, distinct overview paragraph to meet the requirements for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'On the contrary' and 'Moreover', which help to link the sentences. However, the use of these devices is sometimes a bit mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the overall flow could be enhanced by using more sophisticated referencing to avoid repetitive sentence structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'gradually increased', 'steep decrease', and 'inclined'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'Fields of job' (should be 'Job sectors') and '15 millions of job availability' (should be '15 million jobs'). While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more natural collocations and avoiding awkward phrasing when discussing numerical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'in the given 40 years of time period' (redundant) and 'showcased highest number' (missing article 'the'). Additionally, the sentence 'Fields of job include...' is slightly unnatural. While your meaning is clear, the frequency of these minor errors prevents a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve the accuracy of your complex sentences.

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