Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04

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 the information about the number of jobs in four different sectors of the economy in the United states from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the Healthcare and Retail sectors increased significantly, whereas the manufacturing and a agriculture sectors experienced a decline.

The number of jobs in the healthcare was 2.5 millions in 1960 with all time low in all sectors, which grew significantly and reached at 16 millions in the 2020. The figure for jobs in retail sector rose gradually from 6 millions in 1960 to 16 millions in 2020 with same numbers as health sector.

Jobs in the manufacturing sector was 15 millions in 1960. Which grew till 1980 and reached at 20 millions. After that there was dramatical dropped in that figure and stayed 13 millions in 2020. The agriculture sector had 6 millions employers in 1960. This numbers were dropped and reached at 2.5 millions in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons between the four sectors. You successfully highlight the contrasting trajectories of the sectors, such as the growth in healthcare and retail versus the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. However, the report could be improved by providing more precise data points or grouping the information more effectively to highlight the 'main features' rather than listing data for each sector sequentially. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the overall trends, which is essential for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'whereas' and 'after that', to link ideas. However, the progression between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more sophisticated. For instance, the transition between the manufacturing and agriculture sections feels a bit abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would help elevate the coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'significantly', and 'gradually'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'dramatical dropped' (should be 'dramatic drop') and '6 millions employers' (the graph refers to jobs, not necessarily employers). To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The number of jobs... was 2.5 millions', 'This numbers were dropped') and incorrect article usage ('the manufacturing and a agriculture sectors'). Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as starting a sentence with 'Which' after a period. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining sentence structure will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.