Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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 illustrates the data about the number of jobs in marketing, retail, agriculture, healthcare sectors in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, retail and healthcare sector showed an upward trend, while agriculture experienced a decline. Meanwhile, manufacturing had the highest figures and experienced a decline at the end.

Looking first at retail and healthcare, retail stood at 6 million in 1960 and a gradually increased over to 10 million in 1980, followed by 15 million in 2000 and slight increase to 16 million at the end. Similarly, the figures for healthcare recorded the lowest with approximately 2 million and rose from 5 million to 16 million over the same period.

Turning to manufacturing, the figures initially accounted for 15 million before an increase to 20 million in 1980. It then declined gradually over the periods to reach at about 7.5 million in 2020. In terms of agriculture the proportion recorded 6 million in 1960 and fell considerably to 3million in 1980 and followed by the smallest share of 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four sectors and identifies key trends effectively. You have successfully selected the main features, such as the upward trajectory of retail and healthcare versus the decline in agriculture and manufacturing. However, the overview is slightly confusing; you mention manufacturing had the 'highest figures' and then experienced a decline, but the data shows it was overtaken by other sectors. Additionally, some data points are slightly inaccurate or lack precision (e.g., stating healthcare 'recorded the lowest' while the graph shows agriculture starting at a similar level). To reach a higher band, ensure your overview clearly synthesizes the most significant trends rather than just listing them, and double-check the accuracy of your data reporting against the visual information provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Looking first at', 'Similarly', and 'Turning to', which help guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the retail and healthcare description is a bit abrupt. Furthermore, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'over the same period' which could be more precisely linked to the specific decades mentioned. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'upward trend', 'accounted for', and 'considerably'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'a gradually increased' (should be 'a gradual increase') and 'reach at about' (the preposition 'at' is unnecessary). You also rely on some repetitive phrasing when describing trends. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and synonyms to describe changes, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, expanding your range of descriptive language would help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'retail and healthcare sector showed' (missing article 'the' and pluralization), 'a gradually increased' (incorrect word form), and 'followed by the smallest share' (missing subject/verb). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that your verb forms are consistent when describing past trends. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will help you move into the higher band range.

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.