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 line graph provides key information about job numbers in four different fields of the united states’ economy from 1960 to 2020.The units are measured in millions

Overall, it is clear from the data that the number of jobs in retail and healthcare showed an increasing trend ,whereas the agriculture line showed a decreasing trend .In addition the manufacturing line showed also a significant drop with a fluctuation.

As can be seen from the graph , in 1960 the number of jobs in retail was higher than healthcare . The two lines rose rapidly between 1960 and 2000 then they continued to rise slightly untill they reached a peak of almost 15 million in 2020 .

As for the other categories, the agriculture line showed a steady decrease over the period and reached its lowest point in 2020 . As for manufacturing number of jobs it climbed quickly from 15 in 1960 to 25 in 1980 then it went down to reach almost 15 million again .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends, such as the growth in retail and healthcare and the decline in agriculture. The overview is clear and highlights the key features effectively. However, the data reporting is slightly inconsistent; for instance, the mention of manufacturing climbing from '15' to '25' lacks the necessary unit context (millions) and the description of the manufacturing trend is somewhat brief compared to the other sectors. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are clearly contextualized with units and that comparisons between sectors are more explicitly drawn throughout the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In addition', and 'As for' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the trends. To improve, try to vary the cohesive devices further and ensure that the relationship between the sentences within paragraphs is tighter, particularly when contrasting the different sectors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'increasing trend', 'decreasing trend', 'fluctuation', and 'steady decrease' used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are minor issues with capitalization, such as 'united states' and 'agriculture' (when used as a category label), which should be capitalized. To achieve a higher score, incorporate more precise vocabulary related to trends, such as 'upward trajectory', 'plummeted', or 'plateaued', and ensure consistent attention to formal writing conventions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several punctuation and grammatical errors, such as missing spaces after periods, inconsistent capitalization, and minor phrasing issues like 'manufacturing number of jobs'. Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'the manufacturing line showed also a significant drop'. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic punctuation and sentence structure errors, and aim for more complex sentence variety to demonstrate greater control over grammatical forms.

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