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 illustrates changes in the number of jobs across four economic sectors—Services, Manufacturing, Retail, and Agriculture—in the United States between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, the period saw a significant growth in the Services and Retail sectors, whereas job numbers in Manufacturing and Agriculture steadily declined. By the end of the period, Services had become by far the largest employer, while Agriculture fell to the lowest position.
In 1960, Agriculture was the leading employment sector, offering around 25 million jobs, closely followed by Manufacturing at roughly 20 million. However, workforce numbers in both sectors continuously decreased over the 60-year period. By 2020, Manufacturing employment dropped significantly to around 10 million jobs, while Agriculture experienced the most drastic decline, ending at under 5 million jobs.
Conversely, the Services and Retail sectors displayed an upward trajectory. Starting at around 10 million jobs in 1960, the Retail sector grew consistently to reach approximately 20 million by 2020. The Services sector demonstrated the most dramatic increase: beginning at a modest level of under 10 million in 1960, it surpassed Agriculture and Manufacturing around the mid-1980s and rapidly surged to peak at nearly 35 million jobs by 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student provides a good overview of the main trends, noting the upward trajectory of Services and Retail alongside the decline of Manufacturing and Agriculture. However, there are significant factual discrepancies when compared to the visual data. The student introduces 'Services' as a category (which is not on the chart, where 'Healthcare' is plotted), and misreads the 1960 starting figures and peak figures considerably (e.g., stating Agriculture started at 25 million when the chart shows Manufacturing at 15 and Agriculture at 6). While the response follows the general structural requirements of Task 1, the inaccuracy in reading data prevents it from achieving a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is organized logically into four paragraphs, moving from an introduction to an overall summary and then detailing specific sectoral trends. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'However', 'By 2020', and 'Conversely' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is handled well, ensuring each section has a distinct focus. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though the data errors in the body paragraphs occasionally disrupt the logical link between the text and the visual evidence.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing trends and changes over time, using terms such as 'upward trajectory', 'continuously decreased', 'drastic decline', and 'surged'. There are some successful attempts at less common phrasing. However, the introduction of 'Services' instead of 'Healthcare' represents a notable lexical error in terms of task data accuracy. Spelling and word choice are generally clear and do not impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The student displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating participial phrases (e.g., 'offering around 25 million jobs', 'beginning at a modest level') and subordinate clauses effectively. Grammatical control is reasonably good, and punctuation is handled correctly. While there are a few minor errors related to data interpretation rather than grammar itself, the majority of sentences are structurally sound and communicate the intended meaning clearly without impeding the reader.
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