Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-08

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 6.5)

The line chart depicts the number of jobs in four different sectors in the US economy for a time period of 60 years from 1960 till 2020.

Overall, the healthcare sector has been producing more jobs from 1960 throughout the time period and has increased consistently. The manufacturing sector has come down in the number of jobs from 1980 till 2020 and the agriculture sector has slowly decreased the number of jobs from 1960.

The manufacturing sector had an increase in jobs from 15 million to 20 million where it saw its peak in 1980, but since then, this sector fell until approximately 13 million in 2020. The agriculture sector had the highest number of jobs in 1960 with around 6 million jobs, but it came down till 3 million in 1980 and has stayed constant ever since.

Both retail and healthcare jobs have been increased throughout the time, during 1960 and 1980, the number of jobs increased the same amount in both sectors, but after 1980 the growth in retail has slowed down. Although the retail had more jobs in 1960, in 2020 both healthcare and retail stand at the same number of jobs at around 16 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all four sectors and made relevant comparisons, such as noting the convergence of retail and healthcare jobs by 2020. However, the report could be improved by being more precise with the data. For instance, you mention the agriculture sector 'stayed constant' after 1980, but the graph shows a slight fluctuation or decline. Additionally, ensure that your overview highlights the most significant shifts, such as the dramatic rise of healthcare compared to the decline of manufacturing, rather than just listing sector trends. Overall, you have addressed the requirements of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'although', 'but', and 'since then' to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sectors. To reach a higher band, ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother. For example, the shift between discussing manufacturing and agriculture could be more fluid. Additionally, some referencing is slightly repetitive; try to vary your sentence starters to improve the flow of the text further.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly, using terms like 'depicts', 'consistently', 'peak', and 'slowed down'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks the more sophisticated, precise collocations expected at higher bands. For example, instead of saying 'has come down', you could use 'experienced a downward trend' or 'declined'. There are no significant spelling errors, and the vocabulary used is appropriate for the context of an academic report, but incorporating more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the healthcare sector has been producing more jobs... and has increased consistently' (the sector itself does not increase; the number of jobs does) and 'the retail had more jobs' (the article 'the' is unnecessary here). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help improve your accuracy.

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

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