Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

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 provides data regarding the number of available jobs in four divisions of the US economy from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the manufacturing and the agriculture sectors witnessed a major decline in the number of jobs in 2020. On the other hand, the retail and the healthcare divisions grew rapidly over the years.

The manufaturing sector rose from 15 Million in 1960 to 20 million in 1980, after which it faced a continuous decline and reached around 10 millions in 2020. Before getting nearly stable from 1980 to 2020, the agriculture sector fell from a little over a 5 million in 1960, to below 5 million in 1980.

The retail division grew dramatically from nearly 5 millions in 1960 to 15 million in 2000 and it stayed almost stable till 2020. Meanwhile the healthcare sector kept growing rapidly throughout the years. It was the sector with the least number of jobs in 1960: well below 5 million, but in 2020 it grew more than thrice that number and stood out as the sector with the most number of jobs, alongside the retail sector.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt by selecting and reporting the main features of the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. An effective overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the overall trends of declining manufacturing and agriculture alongside growing retail and healthcare sectors. Key data points are accurately highlighted, such as the manufacturing sector rising to 20 million in 1980 before declining to around 10 million, and the healthcare sector starting as the lowest and growing to stand alongside retail. While a couple of minor numerical details contain slight typos, such as "10 millions" instead of "10 million", the overall task is fully addressed with well-supported details, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory statement, follows with a concise overview paragraph, and then divides the body paragraphs logically between the declining sectors and the growing sectors. Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader, such as "On the other hand", "after which", and "Meanwhile". Paragraphing is managed appropriately, and referencing throughout the text is clear. Although some minor mechanical links could be slightly more sophisticated to reach higher bands, the logical sequencing and clear paragraph structure thoroughly satisfy the Band 7.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, employing terms such as "divisions", "witnessed a major decline", "grew rapidly", and "continuous decline". Less common items and collocations are attempted with good awareness, for instance, "stood out as the sector with the most number of jobs". There are occasional minor lexical inaccuracies, such as "millions" instead of "million" in expressions like "10 millions" and "5 millions". Nevertheless, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the intended meaning flexibly and naturally, supporting a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively, incorporating time clauses and relative descriptions (e.g., "Before getting nearly stable from 1980 to 2020, the agriculture sector fell..."). There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating good overall control of grammar and punctuation. Minor grammatical errors do occur, such as the pluralisation slip "a little over a 5 million" and minor punctuation or article choices, but these do not impede communication. The variety of structures and reliable accuracy align well with the Band 7.0 criteria.

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