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 is an illustration of data on available jobs in United States in the period starting from 1960 to 2020.The information was collected from four economic sectors namely, manufacturing, retail, agriculture and heathcare.

Overal, the manufacturing industry dominated as the major employer for most of the period contrary to agriculture which mantained a steady and relatively low number of jobs from 1980 to 2020.

In 1960, the highest number of jobs (15 million) were in manufacturing, which had risen by 5 million in 1980 before it starts to steadily decline to just above 10 million by 2020.

Though initially having more work opportunities than healthcare which was approximately 2,5million, agriculture drops to less than 2,5 million as well where it levels off until the end of the period making it the least employer for a greater part of the period .

Notably starting off at the same level as as healthcare sector with just above 5million jobs to offer, the agricultural but steadily rises to 15 million where it levels off.

Healthcare and retail continue to surge and surpass to above 15 million by 2020 making them the main employers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The candidate successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting the dominance of manufacturing and the steady trend in agriculture. Key data points are selected and reported accurately, such as manufacturing peaking at 15 million jobs and agriculture dropping to less than 2.5 million. However, there is some minor confusion in the fifth paragraph regarding agricultural data, as it incorrectly contrasts it with previous statements. Overall, the response fulfills the requirements of Task 1 well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a logical overall arrangement with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific trends. Cohesive devices are used adequately to connect ideas, such as 'In 1960', 'Though initially', and 'Notably'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate different trends, although the transition between some body paragraphs feels slightly abrupt. Referencing is mostly clear, though occasional mechanical transitions slightly affect the flow. On balance, the organisational structure meets the requirements for a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'industry', 'employer', 'decline', and 'surge'. There are some attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are occasionally accompanied by minor spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'Overal' instead of 'overall', 'mantained' instead of 'maintained', and 'heathcare' instead of 'healthcare'. Despite these slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including introductory subordinate clauses like 'Though initially having more work opportunities...'. There are several grammatical errors and typos throughout the text, such as tense inconsistency ('before it starts to steadily decline') and punctuation issues like missing spaces after periods. However, the majority of simple sentences are accurate, and the grammatical errors rarely impede overall communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.

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