Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, retail and healthcare showed an upward trend, while manufacturing experienced a dramatic decline. Meanwhile, agricultural jobs decreased steadily. Retail recorded the highest figures, whereas agriculture had the lowest throughout the period.

From 1960 to 2020, retail stood at 6%,while healthcare was slightly lower at 3%. Retail then increased sharply to 10%, and then went up to 15%, by final year reached 16%. Similarly, healthcare rose from 3% to 5%, and then grew to 11%, finally reached 16% same as retail.

Turning to manufacturing and agriculture, manufacturing started at 15% in 1960 and experienced an upward trend at 20% in 1980, and then it went down to 17% in 2000 and dropped to 14% in 2020. In contrast, agriculture stood at 6% in 1960, fell to 3% in 1980, and then declined to 2% and 1% from 2000 to 2020

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends effectively. The overview is clear, highlighting the upward trends in retail and healthcare versus the declines in manufacturing and agriculture. However, the data reporting is occasionally imprecise. For instance, the statement that retail 'stood at 6%' in 1960 is not fully supported by the graph, and the description of the trends is sometimes repetitive. While the main features are selected, the comparison between sectors could be more analytical rather than just listing figures. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are accurately transcribed and that the relationship between the sectors is more explicitly contrasted.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', 'Similarly', and 'In contrast' are used to guide the reader through the information. However, the flow within the second body paragraph is slightly mechanical, relying heavily on a list-like structure of dates and percentages. Paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is clear. To improve, the student should aim for more varied cohesive links to connect sentences more fluidly, rather than relying on simple chronological sequencing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task. The student uses appropriate reporting verbs and nouns such as 'upward trend', 'dramatic decline', and 'sharply'. There are some minor issues with phrasing, such as 'by final year reached 16%', which is slightly ungrammatical. The vocabulary is generally accurate and sufficient to convey the trends, though it lacks the sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would characterize a higher band. The repetition of 'reached' and 'stood at' suggests a limited range of synonyms for describing statistical changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'by final year reached 16%' (missing article/preposition) and 'same as retail' (lacks a verb or proper connector). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some spacing issues after commas. The majority of sentences are error-free, but the lack of more sophisticated complex structures and the presence of minor errors prevent a higher score. Focusing on article usage and sentence variety would be beneficial.

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

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