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 multiline chart illustrates the number of jobs in 4 distinct sectors of the economy in the US in the time period of 60 years starting from 1960 to 2020, with data given in millions.

Overall, the figures of retail and healthcare experienced an increase in their numbers while jobs in manufacturing and agriculture decreased comparatively.

In 1960, manufacturing had the maximum jobs with 15 million, which soared to 20 million after 2 decades. Healthcare sector had less then 3 million jobs which nearly doubles in 1980. In 2000, the difference between agriculture and manufacturing decreased as one increased and the other dipped respectively. Agriculture jobs eventually surpassed the latter in 2020, with 16 million jobs and the manufacturing being at around 13 million.

Healthcare and retail sector had the same number of jobs in 1960, which were 6 million. However, they experienced opposite trends. Retail surged continuously and reached its peak of 16 million in 2020. Contrary to this, healthcare dipped to 3 million in 1980, remained in the same level till 20 years, and then again slipped to less than 2.5 millions

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key parts of the task well. The student successfully identifies and reports the main trends across the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020, making relevant comparisons such as noting how retail and healthcare increased while manufacturing and agriculture experienced different trajectories. An overview is provided right after the introduction, highlighting the main overall changes. Key data points, such as manufacturing reaching 15 million in 1960 and retail reaching 16 million in 2020, are properly cited to support the descriptions. Although some minor details contain minor inaccuracies compared to typical graph interpretations, the overall task is addressed effectively and the progression of data is well-reported, satisfying the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a clear logical organization with an introduction, an overall summary paragraph, and body paragraphs dedicated to detailing specific sector trends. Information flows reasonably well, and cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall,' 'In 1960,' 'However,' and 'Contrary to this.' Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed body points. However, referencing and cohesion occasionally become slightly repetitive or mechanical, particularly in the transition between sentences in the final paragraph. Nonetheless, the overall structure remains coherent throughout, supporting a Band 7.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, incorporating terms like 'multiline chart,' 'distinct sectors,' 'soared,' 'surged,' and 'peaked.' There are attempts to use less common vocabulary with general success. However, there are some lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as writing 'the figures of retail and healthcare experienced an increase in their numbers' instead of referring to employment figures, as well as minor slip-ups like 'less then' and 'millions' at the end of the text. Because these errors do not impede communication and the range is sufficient for the task, a Band 6.0 is awarded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including introductory subordinate clauses and compound-complex formations (e.g., 'The multiline chart illustrates... with data given in millions'). There is good control over tense usage when describing past trends from 1960 to 2020. However, grammatical errors occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Healthcare sector had less then 3 million jobs which nearly doubles' instead of doubled), article omissions ('the manufacturing being at around 13 million'), and spelling/preposition slips ('remain in the same level' instead of at). These errors are noticeable but rarely impede communication, placing the writing firmly in the Band 6.0 category.

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