Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line graph below illustrates data on the number of jobs across four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, employment in the service sector increased considerably throughout the period, whereas the number of jobs in farming declined steadily. Employment in manufacturing and sales fluctuated to varying degrees, with manufacturing showing an overall downward trend.

In 1960, farming was the largest employment sector, accounting for approximately 7 million jobs. However, this figure fell consistently over the following decades, reaching around 1 million by 2020. In contrast, the service sector started at roughly 4 million jobs and experienced substantial growth, becoming the largest sector by the end of the period, at approximately 14 million.

Manufacturing employed about 6 million people in 1960. Its employment figure rose slightly during the following decades before declining gradually, finishing at around 5 million jobs in 2020. Meanwhile, the sales sector began at approximately 3 million jobs and increased steadily until around 2000, when it reached about 8 million. After that, employment in this sector remained relatively stable and ended at roughly 8 million in 2020.

Overall, the most notable changes were the sharp rise in service-sector employment and the long-term decline in farming jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and selecting key features to report and compare. However, there are significant data inaccuracies when compared against the visual prompt. For instance, the student states that farming accounted for approximately 7 million jobs in 1960 and fell to 1 million by 2020, whereas the correct figures are 6 million and 2 million respectively. Similarly, the figures for the service (healthcare), manufacturing, and retail (sales) sectors show considerable misreadings of the y-axis values throughout the response. While the selection and reporting of overall trends are generally clear, the inaccuracy in reading numerical data prevents the response from achieving a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. The essay begins with an introductory statement, followed by an overarching summary paragraph, body paragraphs detailing the specific sectors, and a concluding summary sentence at the end. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'whereas', 'In contrast', 'However', and 'Meanwhile' are used appropriately to connect ideas and guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is managed sufficiently and effectively, grouping related sectors and trends together logically. Although some data points are inaccurate, the structural coherence and logical sequencing of the essay are sound.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully attempting less common items and functional language to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated to varying degrees', 'downward trend', 'substantial growth', and 'relatively stable'. Word choices are generally appropriate for conveying upward and downward movements. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and terminology (e.g., referring to 'retail' as 'sales' and 'healthcare' as 'the service sector' without clear contextual distinction, and misinterpreting data scales leading to inaccurate lexical reporting). Spelling is accurate throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student displays a reasonable mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing subordinate clauses and participial phrases effectively (e.g., 'accounting for approximately 7 million jobs', 'when it reached about 8 million'). Grammatical control is generally good, with accurate past and present tense usage for historical data and trends. Punctuation is handled correctly. While there are minor slips in sentence construction and some awkward phrasing resulting from data misinterpretations, the majority of sentences are error-free and communication is never impeded.

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

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