Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The given line graph presents information about the economy of us from [redacted phone] regarding the number of jobs in 4 sectors which are Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare ranging from 0 to 25 million.

Overall it is evident that, the 4 sectors have fluctuated differently where some increased and decreased over the years. Manufacturing started great being the highest in 1960 and the lowest among the group was Healthcare. However, In 2020, Retail and Healthcare was the dominating sectors on the same level and Agriculture was the least within the sectors

In 1960, The highest number of jobs in the US was taken over Manufacturing with 15 million But compartively Healthcare was the lowest with only 2 million. Moreover, Retail as well as Agriculture started of the same but small in number with 6 million and the downfall for Agriculture begun from the very start.

Moving on, Manufacturing peaked in the year 1980 with 20 million. but, dropped significantly lesser than Retail and Healthcare in 2020 with only 12 million which was the lowest it has even been. Both Retail and Healthcare had a steady growth. Although Healthcare was little behind it, Both ended up with 16 million in 2020 which was the highest in the year. Agriculture decreased every year and ended with 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully identifies the main trends and overviews the data for all four economic sectors (Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcare) between 1960 and 2020. The response provides a clear summary in the introduction and highlights key features, such as Manufacturing starting at 15 million and peaking in 1980 at 20 million before declining to 12 million. Comparisons are made between sectors, noting that Retail and Healthcare ended up at the same level of 16 million in 2020. However, there are some minor inaccuracies or generalizations in data reporting, such as stating that Retail and Healthcare started on the same level or that Agriculture decreased every year from 6 million to 2 million when minor fluctuations occurred. Despite these minor lapses, the task is addressed well overall, aligning with Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors. A Band 6.0 is awarded as some details are slightly inaccurate or under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The report exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific data points. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall it is evident that', 'In 1960', and 'Moving on'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, sentences in the body paragraphs lack smooth transitions ('Manufacturing peaked in the year 1980 with 20 million. but, dropped significantly...'). Paragraphing is present and appropriate, but the logical progression within paragraphs could be tighter. These characteristics place the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to data trends such as 'fluctuated', 'increased', 'decreased', 'peaked', and 'steady growth'. Attempts are made to use less common vocabulary ('dominating sectors', 'downfall', 'significantly'), but there are instances of imprecise word choice and collocation, such as 'taken over Manufacturing' instead of 'led by Manufacturing' or 'accounted for', and capitalization/punctuation errors ('us' instead of 'US', 'Retail and Healthcare was'). Spelling is generally acceptable, though minor errors and awkward phrasing prevent the vocabulary score from reaching a higher band. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient to communicate meaning clearly, meriting a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses and subordinate clauses ('The given line graph presents information... which are Manufacturing...'). There are, however, several grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text. Examples include lowercase starting letters for country names ('us'), incorrect subject-verb agreement ('Retail and Healthcare was'), awkward punctuation and capitalization ('1980 with 20 million. but, dropped'), and missing articles. While these errors occur frequently, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the intended meaning. This combination of a mixed structure range and noticeable error frequency corresponds to Band 6.0.

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