Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-16

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 presents information about the numbers of jobs in the Us four sectors of economy from 2960 yo 2020.

Overall, the manufacturing sector is the highest joined job in the first two decades. Moreover, the retail and healthcare sector experienced a significant growth over the period. In contrast, the manufacturing and the agriculture sector both faced a gradual decline over the given time period.

The healthcare and retail sector both increased from almost 2 million and 6 million in 1960, to 5 million and 10 million in 1980 and 11 million and 15 million over next two decades. However, in 2020, both of them reached at same height of 15 million jobs.

The agriculture sector decreased over rhe peruod from 6 million in 1960 to almost 2 million in 2020. However, it also experienced a slight growth of half million in 2000, after reaching to almost 3 million in 1980. Furthermore, the manufacturing showed a rise between 1960 and 1980 and reached from 15 million to 20 million. Then it falls to almost 17 million in 2000 before reaching to 13 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You provide a clear overview of the main patterns: manufacturing leads initially, retail and healthcare rise, and agriculture declines. The body also includes relevant figures across the four years, and most are consistent with the graph. However, the overview says manufacturing and agriculture both declined over the period, which misses manufacturing’s rise to a peak in 1980 before its later fall. The final comparison is also inaccurate: retail and healthcare finish at about 16 million jobs each, not 15 million. The claim that agriculture grew by half a million in 2000 is not supported; it remains around 3 million from 1980 to 2000. These inaccuracies and the partly unclear overview limit the precision of an otherwise relevant summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs describing the rising sectors and the declining or fluctuating ones. Information generally progresses in a sensible chronological order, and linking words such as “Overall,” “In contrast” and “Furthermore” help signal relationships. Some connections are less effective: “However” introduces the final 2020 comparison even though it continues the same trend, and the agriculture paragraph shifts abruptly to manufacturing. The repeated use of “However” also makes cohesion somewhat mechanical. Clearer grouping of the two rising sectors and the two other trends, with more precise links between comparisons, would make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “significant growth,” “gradual decline” and “reached,” so the main trends are usually understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “highest joined job,” “reached at same height” and “experienced a slight growth.” There are also noticeable spelling and typing errors, including “Us,” “2960,” “yo” and “rhe peruod,” which reduce the overall control of vocabulary and presentation. Aim for standard chart language and check spelling carefully. More precise choices such as “highest number of jobs,” “reached the same level” and “remained stable” would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons across several years, and the overall meaning can generally be followed. However, some grammatical errors remain in sentence construction and verb forms. For example, “the manufacturing showed a rise … and reached from 15 million to 20 million” uses an incorrect verb pattern; “rose from 15 million to 20 million” is the appropriate structure. In “both of them reached at same height,” the verb does not take “at” in this pattern, and the article is missing. There are also tense inconsistencies, such as “Then it falls” after past-tense descriptions. More consistent past-tense reporting and careful checking of articles and verb patterns would improve accuracy.

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