Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22

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 graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US over the period from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, employment in healthcare and retail experienced an upward trend, while agriculture decreased over the period. Manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in the beginning, but its job figures decreased after 1980.

In 1960, healthcare had the least number of jobs, at approximately 2-3 million. The jobs rose to 5 million by the year 1980 and continued to increase until [redacted phone]. In the same way, the retail sector showed continous upward trend throught the period.

In contrast, Manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in the beginning. However, it started decreasing after 1980, falling by approximately 6 million jobs by the end of 2020. Agriculture also showed downward trend and ended the period with the lowest number of jobs among the four sectors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student covers all four sectors and provides a clear overview of the main trends. However, the length requirement of 150 words is not met, as the response contains 147 words, resulting in a minor penalty under Task Achievement. Furthermore, some data points are slightly imprecise or incomplete; for instance, the mention of healthcare continuing to increase until '2020.2020' contains a typographical duplication, and retail and healthcare actually finished at the same level (16 million) in 2020, which could have been explicitly compared. Despite these minor issues, the selection and reporting of main features are generally accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The text is logically organized into four paragraphs, beginning with a clear introduction and an overall summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1960', 'In the same way', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods and economic sectors. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraph transitions could be smoother. Overall, the organizational structure is coherent and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, including terms like 'upward trend', 'downward trend', 'sector', and 'economy'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with some success (e.g., 'continuous upward trend'). However, there are minor lexical inaccuracies, such as writing 'least number of jobs' instead of 'lowest number of jobs' or 'fewest jobs', and a minor repetition of 'number of jobs'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like subordinate clauses ('while agriculture decreased over the period'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and grammar control is generally good. However, there is a distracting typographical error in the third paragraph ('2020.2020') and a minor missing article ('the retail sector showed continuous upward trend' instead of 'a continuous upward trend'). Punctuation is mostly accurate, and these occasional errors do not impede communication, placing the response solidly in the Band 6.5 to 7 range.

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