Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-14

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 chart illustrates the evidence about the number of employed people in four domains of economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, manufacturing was the leading sector at the beginning, which climbed for some time then steadily dropped. Healthcare and retail showed the almost same trend. Nevertheless, agriculture failed to show any upward direction.

Looking at the chart, manufacturing started with 15% in 1960 and reached the top value of 20% in 1980. Subsequently it dropped to 16% by 2020. On the other hand, retail and agriculture, both commenced at the same point of almost 6% but moved in opposite directions over the period. Retail depicted a continuous up trend and culminated at above 15% by the end of 2020.

Contrary to this, agriculture declined to less than 5% in two decades. It leveled off for the next twenty years and again plunged gradually to 2% by the end of the duration. However, starting from 2% healthcare surged steadily to the top of the chart joining retail at 16% by the end of second decade of 21st century

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by selecting and reporting the main features of the four economic sectors over the sixty-year period. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting key trends such as manufacturing peaking and then dropping, and retail showing an upward trajectory. Key data points are cited correctly, such as manufacturing starting at 15 percent in 1960 and reaching 20 percent in 1980. Comparisons are made effectively between sectors moving in opposite directions, like retail and agriculture. However, there is a slight minor mathematical oversight in describing the end point of healthcare, noting it joined retail at 16 percent by the end of the second decade of the 21st century. Overall, the task is well covered and meets the criteria for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response exhibits clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information is grouped into sensible paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific trends. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, with transition phrases such as 'Overall', 'Looking at the chart', 'On the other hand', and 'Contrary to this' guiding the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different categories of information. While cohesion is generally clear and effective, some connectors feel slightly formulaic, preventing it from reaching the higher bands. Nonetheless, the overall structure supports a smooth reading experience, earning a solid Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, utilizing terms such as 'domain', 'culminated', 'surged', and 'leveled off'. There is an attempt to use less common lexical items related to data trends. However, there are a few awkward collocations or minor lexical inaccuracies, such as 'domains of economy' instead of 'sectors of the economy' and 'up trend' written as two words. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate enough that communication is never impeded. Because of the adequate range mixed with occasional minor slips, the vocabulary performance aligns well with Band 6.5, which rounds to a Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases. There is a good variety of grammatical forms used to describe trends, such as 'which climbed for some time then steadily dropped' and 'starting from 2% healthcare surged steadily'. Grammatical control is generally quite good with frequent error-free sentences, though minor punctuation slips exist, such as a missing full stop at the very end of the essay. The errors are infrequent and do not impede communication, showing a standard consistent with Band 7 descriptors.

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