Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US namely Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare over a sixty year period between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs in sectors such as Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare showed a upward trend. Retail represented a most significant job of the economy in the US. Moreover, Healthcare sector remained relatively stable despite minor fluctuations.

Looking at the details, in 1960, Manufacturing represented the highest number of jobs at 15 million. It then fell steadily to reach at 12 million in 2020. While in 1960, Retail showed the number of jobs at 6 million. It then rose steadily to reach at 16 million in 2020. Furthermore, in 1960, Agriculture represented the number of jobs at 6 million and fell steadily to reach at 2 million in 2020.

In contrast, in 1960, Healthcare accounted to the number of jobs at 2 million. It then rose steadily to reach at 16 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing an overview and selecting the main features and trends from the graph. For example, they correctly identify that Manufacturing and Agriculture decreased while Retail and Healthcare rose over the sixty-year period. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, the student states that Retail reached 16 million in 2020 alongside Healthcare, whereas the visual data requires more precise distinction. Additionally, the overview contains a minor contradiction, first stating that Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcare showed an upward trend, but then noting that Agriculture fell steadily. Despite these minor flaws, the key trends and comparisons are adequately reported, satisfying the core requirements for a Band 6.5 to 7.0 range. A band score of 6.5 is awarded as some details are slightly inaccurate or under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is arranged logically into four paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overall summary, and body paragraphs detailing the specific sectors. The progression of information is generally clear, guiding the reader through the data from 1960 to 2020. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Looking at the details', and 'In contrast' are used to structure the text, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent repetition of 'It then rose steadily to reach at'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, with distinct sections for overview and specific data points. Referencing is mostly clear, though occasional mechanical phrasing slightly impacts the flow. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'illustrates', 'fluctuations', 'steadily', and sector names like 'Manufacturing', 'Retail', 'Agriculture', and 'Healthcare'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward prepositions. For example, the student writes 'showed a upward trend' (omitting the 'an') and 'accounted to the number of jobs' (instead of 'accounted for'). Expressions like 'represented a most significant job of the economy' are unnatural and imprecise. While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, these frequent word choice and collocation errors keep the score at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing introductory clauses like 'Looking at the details' and subordinate structures such as 'While in 1960, Retail showed...'. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are several recurring errors with prepositions and verb complements, such as 'reach at 12 million' (the verb 'reach' does not take 'at') and 'accounted to' instead of 'accounted for'. Articles are also occasionally misused, as seen in 'a upward trend' instead of 'an upward trend'. Although these errors do not severely impede overall communication, their frequency prevents the writer from achieving a higher band. A score of 6.0 accurately reflects a mix of correct structures alongside persistent grammatical slips.

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