Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12

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 illustrates the number of jobs in five different sectors of the economy in the US measured in millions from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, Manufacturing was the most popular sector for jobs in the beginning which was eventually surpassed by retail and healthcare in later years. Furthermore, the agricultural and manufacturing sectors had a decline in jobs; whereas retail and healthcare sectors had an incline in jobs over the period.

A detailed analysis of the graph shows that, during 1960 to 1980 the manufacturing sector had a moderate incline from 15 million jobs to 20 million jobs, before dropping back to 13 millions jobs in 2020. On the other hand the healthcare sector had a significant increase in jobs from 3 million to 5 million in 1960 to 1980 then it rose sharply to 16 million jobs in 2020.

In 1960, both retail and agricultural sectors had similar number of jobs at 6 million. Retail witnessed an exponential growth to 15 million jobs in 2000 and then had a marginal incline to 16 million jobs in 2020. By contrast, jobs in the agriculture had a significant decline to 3 million jobs in 1980 and again it had a slight decline to 2 million jobs during the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The candidate provides a clear overview and successfully reports the main features and trends of the provided graph, covering all four economic sectors (manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and agriculture). Key data points, such as the initial and final figures, are accurately cited and compared. However, there is a minor error in the introduction where the student states there are 'five different sectors' when the graph and prompt clearly specify four, and another minor numerical inaccuracy regarding the starting figure for manufacturing (stating 15 million when the graph starts around 16 or 17 million). Despite these minor flaws, the task is well covered and the overview is clear and effective, fitting comfortably into Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised with a clear overarching progression. It begins with an effective introductory sentence and an overall summary paragraph, followed by well-structured body paragraphs that break down the trends logically. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'By contrast' are used appropriately to link ideas and contrast trends. Paragraphing is logical, separating the general overview from specific details and splitting the four sectors across two body paragraphs. Referencing is generally clear, resulting in a cohesive and easy-to-follow text that meets all Band 7 requirements.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms related to data trends such as 'moderate incline', 'significant increase', 'rose sharply', and 'exponential growth'. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style, though there are minor inaccuracies in word choice or phrasing, such as 'an incline in jobs' instead of 'an increase in jobs' or 'growth', and 'millions jobs' instead of 'million jobs'. Nevertheless, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the intended meaning clearly, and errors do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses and prepositional phrases effectively (e.g., 'while retail and healthcare sectors had an incline in jobs over the period'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and control of grammar is generally good. However, a few minor mechanical and grammatical errors persist, such as '13 millions jobs' (plural noun where singular is required after a number) and missing articles (e.g., 'in agriculture' instead of 'in agriculture' or 'in the agricultural sector'). Punctuation is generally sound, supporting overall readability.

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