Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 line graph compares the number of employment in different areas of economy including manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and healthcare in the US.

Overall, it is evident that jobs in the retail and health departments drastically increased between 1960 to 2020. However, there was a sharp reduction in the number of employments in the agriculture sector, with a sudden rise in the manufacturing area in 1980, followed by a drop.

Firstly, looking into the detailed information, it can be seen that in 1960, there were approximately 6 million jobs in the agriculture and retail sectors. In contrast, the healthcare department remained lowest with only 2 million jobs. However, manufacturing sector stood first with 15 million appointments.

Secondly, there was a sharp increase in the employment categories of retail and healthcare from 1980 to 2020, reaching around 15 million. As compared to this, the agriculture sector remained almost steady. However, manufacturing sector first showed a rose in the number of jobs in 1980, but eventually this proportion reduced to 13 millions in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four sectors mentioned in the prompt and provides a clear overview highlighting the main trends, such as the dramatic increase in retail and healthcare jobs and the sharp decline in agriculture. Data points are generally reported correctly, such as the 1960 starting figures and the 1980 peak in manufacturing. However, there are minor inaccuracies in reporting terminal or intermediate data; for instance, retail and healthcare reached around 16 million by 2020 rather than 15 million, and the phrasing regarding 'retail and healthcare' reaching 15 million from 1980 to 2020 is somewhat imprecise. Nonetheless, the task is addressed well overall, satisfying the main features and comparison requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The text is logically organised into an introduction, an overall summary paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing specific data points. Progression is generally clear throughout. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'In contrast', and 'However' are used to structure the response, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or formulaic ('Firstly, looking into the detailed information'). Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related ideas, and referencing throughout the text remains clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range suitable for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'drastically increased', 'reduction', and 'appointment'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors that reduce precision, such as using 'employment' as a countable noun ('number of employments') instead of 'employment figures' or 'jobs', referring to sectors as 'departments' or 'areas', and writing 'showed a rose' instead of 'showed a rise'. Spelling is generally accurate, but lexical control lacks the flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over subordinate clauses and comparative structures. There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement and word formation issues (e.g., 'healthcare department remained lowest' missing an article, 'showed a rose' instead of a rise, and '13 millions' using a plural form with a specific number). Despite these errors, communication is not impeded, and the majority of simple sentences are constructed correctly.

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.