Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-10

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 graph gives information about the number of jobs in across four sectors: Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Helathcare og the economy in the United States from 1960 to 2020. Units are measured in millions.

Overall, the economy of Retail showed a steady but significant rise over the period, while the economy of Manafucturing experienced a downward trend.

To begin with, regarding manufacturing, in 1960 it stood at 15 million. Then, it rose sharply to 20 million in 1980. After that, it fell steadily to 17 million in 2000. Finally, it declined slightly to 13 million in 2020. Moving to retail, in 1960 it stood at 6 million. Then, it soared steadily to 10 million in 1980. After that, it climbed further to 15 million in 2000. Finally, it grew gradually to 16 million in 2020.

Turning to healthcare, in 1960 it stood at 2 million. Then, it increased marginally to 5 million in 1980. After that, it rose sharply to 11 million in 2000. Finally, went up dramatically to 16 million in 2020. Regarding agriculture, in 1960 it stood at 6 million. Then, it dropped considerably to 3 million in 1980. After that, it remained stable at 3 million in 2000. Finally, it dipped modestly to 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all four sectors and provides a clear overview of the main trends. You have successfully identified the key features, such as the rise in retail and healthcare and the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. However, the report could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the sectors rather than listing them individually. For instance, noting that healthcare overtook manufacturing by 2020 would strengthen the analysis. The overview is concise and accurate, meeting the requirements for a clear summary of the main trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs dedicated to specific sectors. The use of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moving to', and 'Turning to' helps guide the reader through the data. However, the paragraphing is slightly repetitive in structure, with each sentence starting with a time marker followed by a verb. To reach a higher band, you should vary the way you link your ideas and integrate the data points more fluidly within sentences rather than using a list-like approach.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for describing trends, such as 'rose sharply', 'declined slightly', 'soared steadily', and 'dipped modestly'. These collocations are used accurately. There are a few spelling errors, such as 'Helathcare', 'og', and 'Manafucturing', which are distracting. While the range is sufficient to convey the information clearly, the occasional spelling slips prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for these minor errors will help improve your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy reading. There are minor grammatical slips, such as 'in across four sectors' and 'Finally, went up dramatically' (missing a subject 'it'). Despite these minor issues, your control over tense and sentence structure is generally good. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participle phrases to combine data points.

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

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