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 data in the image illustrates the employment ratio in different sectors of econnomy in the United States between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the retail and healthcare jobs show a significant increase between 1960 and 2020. However, the market of manufacturing and agriculture declined between the same period with minor fluctuations in between.

There were around 5.2 million jobs of retail in 1960 which rose to exact 15 million in 2000. After that, the employment in retail increases very slightly till 2020. Similarly, the jobs of healthcare workers were amost 0.4 million in 1960 which rosed to 5 million in 1980. Following the same trend, it increases to almost 15.2 million by the end of 2020.

On the other hand, the available jobs in manufacturing were 15 million in 1960 which, then inclined to 20 million in 1980 but after that, the number of jobs in this sector started falling, and ends up at approximately 16 miilion in 2020. Job market of agriculture faces the same fate. This sector started at almost 5.2 million but there was no stop to its decline and ended up at 0.4 million approximately.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the four economic sectors. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the overall trends of growth in retail and healthcare alongside declines in manufacturing and agriculture. Key figures are appropriately selected, such as noting manufacturing starting at 15 million in 1960 and peaking at 20 million in 1980. However, there are a few minor data inaccuracies compared to the visual reference; for instance, the student states manufacturing ends up at approximately 16 million in 2020, whereas the chart shows it at roughly 13 million, and mentions healthcare starting at 0.4 million rather than approximately 2 million. Despite these minor discrepancies, the response adequately covers the required information and fulfills the prompt effectively, earning a solid band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into a logical four-paragraph structure comprising an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the respective upward and downward trends. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the data, utilizing transition phrases such as 'Overall', 'However', 'After that', and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate contrasting trends. While the overall arrangement is coherent, referencing is occasionally slightly mechanical, and the progression between sentences could be smoother in places. Nevertheless, the logical organization is clear throughout, meeting the requirements for a band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a task 1 response, using terms such as 'employment ratio', 'significant increase', 'fluctuations', and 'declined'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'econnomy' instead of 'economy', 'inclined' used incorrectly for an upward trajectory where 'increased' or 'climbed' would be appropriate, and 'miilion'. Additionally, collocation and precision are occasionally imprecise. The vocabulary used is minimally sufficient to convey the information, but errors in spelling and lexical control prevent the score from reaching a higher band, placing it at a 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and temporal markers such as 'between 1960 and 2020' and 'which rose to exact 15 million in 2000'. There are several grammatical and mechanical errors present, including tense inconsistencies (shifting between past and present, such as 'increases very slightly' and 'roased'), missing articles or awkward phrasing ('jobs of retail'), and spelling slips like 'amost'. Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded, and the sentences remain mostly comprehensible. This performance corresponds to a band 6.0.

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