Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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 illustrates the number of jobs in Manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare sector of the US economy from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs increased in both retail and healthcare sector, with healthcare sector showing the most significant growth. Meanwhile, agricultural sector remained the lowest in the majority of the period.

In 1960, healthcare sector had about 2 million jobs, rising steadily to 15 million in 2020. In 1960, retail sector had about 5 million work positions, which gradually escalates to around 15 million by 2020.

Agricultural sector recorded the lowest figure throughout the period, decreasing slightly from about 5 million to around 2 million. In 1960 and 1980, manufacturing sector increased slightly from 15 million to 20 million. Between 1980 and 2020, it then declined to around 12 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully identifies the main features and trends of the four sectors over the given period. An appropriate overview is provided, highlighting the significant growth in retail and healthcare as well as the persistently low figures for agriculture. Key data points are cited correctly, such as healthcare rising from 2 million to 15 million and manufacturing peaking before declining. However, the response is under-length at 134 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This negative constraint directly impacts task completion. Despite the clear reporting and relevant comparisons, the length penalty restricts the overall score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The text is logically organised into four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific trends. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', and 'Between 1980 and 2020' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is clear, and the progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraph transitions could be slightly smoother. Overall, the structural framework meets the standards for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary relevant to the task, including terms such as 'illustrates', 'significant growth', 'rising steadily', and 'declined'. There are minor inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'work positions' instead of 'jobs' or 'positions', and a few capitalization errors ('retail', 'agricultural sector'). Less common lexical items are attempted with reasonable success. Spelling is accurate throughout, and communication of the data is never impeded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses and time markers effectively (e.g., 'While the number of jobs increased...', 'Between 1980 and 2020, it then declined...'). There are some minor grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('In 1960, healthcare sector had' instead of 'the healthcare sector') and tense/verb agreement slips like 'gradually escalates' shifting to the present tense within past-tense context. However, these errors do not impede communication.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.