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 graph represents the information related to the number of jobs in four economic sectors in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, It shows the number of jobs rised in the Retailor and Healthcare sectors, on the contrary number of jobs decreased siginificantly in the Manufacturing and Agriculture departments.

Moreover, the graph shows manufacturing was at top in 1960 with 15 million job market, it was initialing rising then suddenly dropped in 1980, till the end it reached at about 13 million jobs. Furthermore, Agriculture section also decreased from about 6 millions jobs to almost 3 million jobs between 1960 to 2020.

On the other hand, Retailer was at the 2nd number in job market but significantly increased from 6 million jobs to surpass 15 million jobs till 2020. The graph shows that healthcare sector has highest growth ratio compare to all other sectors. In 1960, its job market was about 3 million but till the end of survey it reached at 1st position to surpass all other sectors and has job market of about 16 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student attempts to address all parts of the task by reporting the main features and trends across the four sectors. However, there are some data inaccuracies compared to the source chart. For example, the student states that manufacturing 'was initialing rising then suddenly dropped in 1980', whereas the chart shows manufacturing actually peaked at 20 million in 1980 before declining. Additionally, healthcare in 1960 started around 2 million, not 3 million, and agriculture started at 6 million rather than 'about 6 millions'. Despite these reading errors and some under-developed comparisons, the overall trends are captured, placing this response in Band 5.5 to 6.0. It is awarded a 6.0 as the main features and overview are present, though a more precise reading of the visual data would yield a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged with an introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs, providing a coherent overall structure. However, paragraphing is somewhat rudimentary and transitions can be clumsy, such as starting sentences repetitively with 'The graph shows'. Cohesive devices are sometimes inaccurate or mechanical (e.g., 'on the contrary', 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand'). Referencing is mostly clear, though the grouping of information could be managed more logically to contrast the growing sectors against the declining ones effectively. Overall, the organization is sufficient for a Band 6.0, as ideas are generally clear despite the mechanical cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common sector-specific terms like 'economic sectors', 'job market', and 'growth ratio'. However, there are several noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'rised' (instead of rose), 'Retailor' (instead of Retail), 'Departments' used for economic sectors, 'initialing rising', and 'highest growth ratio' instead of growth rate. Spelling and word-formation issues (e.g., 'millions' instead of million when preceded by a number) occur throughout the text. These do not completely impede communication, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though attempts at complex structures often contain punctuation or structural errors. Examples include comma splices and run-on structures like 'Overall, It shows...' and 'In 1960, its job market was about 3 million but till the end of survey it reached at 1st position to surpass all other sectors and has job market of about 16 million.' Verb tense inconsistencies and missing prepositions (e.g., 'reached at', 'decreased siginificantly') are also evident. While errors occur frequently, they rarely impede overall comprehension, justifying a Band 5.5 score rounded up or stable at 6.0 based on the mix of structures.

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