Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29
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 6.5)
The graph given illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy: manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, in US between the years 1960 to 2020. Mostly a rising trend is observed except for in the agriculture sector. Manufacturing observed a rising trend and started falling after 1980.
Healthcare and retail sectors saw parallel trajectories. The number of jobs increased the most in healthcare, starting from below 5 million in 1960 to above 15 million in 2020. Retail closely followed, starting at above 5 million in 1960 to same as healthcare in 2020.
Manufacturing initially had an upward trend going from 15 million in 1960 to 20 million in 1980, and then experienced a steady decline, reaching below 15 million in 2020. Lastly, agriculture saw an overall declining trend starting from a little above 5 million in 1960 to around a million in 2020.
Healthcare and retail sectors have shown the most promising emplyoment opportunities in US from 1960 to 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The student covers all parts of the task well by identifying and reporting the main features of the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. An overview is provided right at the beginning ('Mostly a rising trend is observed except for in the agriculture sector') and reiterated in the conclusion. Key data points are accurately reported, such as manufacturing reaching a peak of 20 million in 1980 before declining, and healthcare rising from below 5 million to over 15 million. Comparisons are made effectively, such as noting how retail and healthcare saw parallel trajectories. The data is accurately grounded in the visual source without major inaccuracies, satisfying all requirements of this band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The response is logically organised into a clear introduction, body paragraphs dedicated to specific groupings or sectors, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices and referencing are used appropriately, for example using 'Manufacturing initially had an upward trend...' and 'Lastly, agriculture saw an overall declining trend...' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the visual data. The progression of ideas is clear throughout the text, ensuring smooth transitions from the general overview to specific details.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, incorporating terms like 'illustrates', 'trajectories', 'upward trend', and 'steady decline'. There is some attempt to use less common vocabulary, though occasional word choice and phrasing feel slightly repetitive or unnatural, such as 'mostly a rising trend is observed except for in the agriculture sector' and 'starting at above 5 million in 1960 to same as healthcare in 2020'. Spelling is generally accurate, with one minor typo ('emplyoment'), which does not impede communication. The lexical range is adequate for a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating participial phrases and relative clauses (e.g., 'starting from below 5 million in 1960 to above 15 million in 2020'). There is a good variety of grammatical forms used to describe trends over time. While there are a few minor grammatical slips—such as missing articles or prepositions (e.g., 'in US' instead of 'in the US', and 'to same as healthcare' instead of 'to the same level as healthcare')—the majority of sentences are error-free, and grammar errors do not impede communication at all.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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