Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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 given line graph represents information about the number of jobs in four different sectors namely, Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcareof the economy . In addition it can be noticed that the data is provided between 1960 and 2020 in US and the job unit is in millions from 0 to 25 .

Overall , it can be observed that number of jobs in agriculture declined throughout the period . whereas healthcare and retail jobs showed an increase by the end of period and recorded the exact same number .

Turning to the trends shown in the graph, Healthcare recorded the lowest number of jobs in the year of 1960 at approximately 2 million and significantly rose . By 2020 , the figure had increased to around 15 million . whereas , in the retail sector in the year of 1960 the number of jobs was just over 5 million before moving in upward trend and by the end of period it was as popular as the jobs in the healthcare sector .

Comparatively, Manufacturing was the first most given jobs in the year of 1960 and in 1980 it recorded the highest number compared to all the at 20 million before dramatically falling between 10 million and 15 million in the end. Futhermore agriculture started at 5 million before experiencing a dip and remained unchanged till 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and selecting key features and comparisons from the graph. The main trends—such as the steady decline in agriculture and the significant growth in healthcare and retail—are accurately reported. Data points are generally cited correctly, for instance, noting that healthcare rose to around 15 million by 2020 and manufacturing peaked at 20 million in 1980. However, there are minor imprecisions in data reporting towards the end, such as stating that manufacturing fell 'between 10 million and 15 million in the end' (the actual figure is around 13 million). Overall, the response is well-developed and addresses the prompt effectively, earning a solid Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is organized into four distinct paragraphs, following a logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific trends. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'Turning to the trends shown in the graph', and 'Comparatively'. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas throughout the response. However, some minor awkwardness in transitional phrases and occasional mechanical cohesion prevent it from reaching a higher band. The progression remains clear and logical, justifying a Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, employing terms such as 'sector', 'significantly rose', 'upward trend', and 'dramatically falling'. Less common lexical items are attempted, although some word choices and collocations are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'was the first most given jobs' and 'was as popular as'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. With a slightly wider and more precise control of less common vocabulary and collocations, a higher band could be achieved. This performance aligns well with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'namely', 'while', and 'before'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout the text, such as missing articles ('in US'), punctuation errors (spacing around commas), and clumsy prepositional usage (e.g., 'in the year of 1960'). A particularly flawed sentence occurs in the final paragraph: 'Manufacturing was the first most given jobs in the year of 1960'. Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear and communication is rarely impeded. The control over grammar represents a typical Band 6.0 performance.

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

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