Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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 graph provides data on the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 to 2020.

To begin with, the graph depicts that less number of people were working in the healthsector of the US in 1960 as comapred to the manufacturing sector. For example, 15 million people were part of the manufacturing sector, while people who were part of the healthsector made up less than 5 million. However, in 2020, people started showing interest in the healthsector. For instance, by the year of 2020, 15 million million jobs were availabe in the healthsector of the US, and there was a huge decline in the jobs of manufacturing sector.

Moving forward, the data about the retail sector shows that, in 1960, approximately 6 million jobs were availabe in this sector, but with the passage of time, more jobs had been created as people were showing interest in this sector of the economy. For instance, from 10 million jobs in 1980 to 15 million jobs in 2000 and more in 2020 show how much retail sector became an important part of the US economy.

Lastly, agriculture was the only sector in which people were less interested from the beginning. By the year of 2020, less were 5 million jobs were available in this sector.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student covers all four sectors mentioned in the graph and attempts to present key trends and data points over the given timeframe. However, there are several data inaccuracies and generalisations. For instance, the text states that '15 million million jobs were availabe in the healthsector' (a typo and a slight overstatement for 2020 where it is roughly 16 million), and claims 'agriculture was the only sector in which people were less interested', which is an informal, subjective framing rather than an objective description of economic data. Furthermore, an overall overview of the main trends is lacking in the introduction. These shortcomings place the response at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, each generally dealing with specific sectors or time periods. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'Moving forward', although some of these transitional phrases feel a bit mechanical or heavy-handed for an Academic Task 1 report. The logical progression is mostly clear, guiding the reader from manufacturing and healthcare into retail and agriculture. However, referencing and paragraph transitions could be smoother. Overall, the organization is coherent, satisfying the requirements for Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'manufacturing sector', 'economy', and 'decline'. However, there are several spelling errors ('healthsector', 'comapred', 'availabe') and awkward lexical choices or phrasing ('less number of people', 'people started showing interest in the healthsector' instead of employment growth). The repetition of terms like 'sector' and 'jobs' limits flexibility. While communication is not impeded, these lexical limitations and spelling slips cap the score at Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'For example, 15 million people were part of the manufacturing sector, while people who were part of the healthsector made up less than 5 million.' Grammatical control is generally decent, though some awkward phrasing and minor errors occur, such as 'less number of people' (instead of 'fewer') and 'less were 5 million jobs were available'. Punctuation is generally correct, and sentences remain understandable despite the errors. This balance of structures and errors aligns well with Band 6.0.

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

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